PokéMuyo!
by It's The Dee
Summary: When Washu decides to test out her new invention, Rocket Dan and Takeshi are blasted to another planet! Which is, of course, when the trouble really begins...
1. Episode One: No Need for D-Space Travell...

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Episode One

Episode One:  
  
No Need for D-Space Travellers

Musashi shook Kojiro awake. "Kojiro! Get up! That twerp and his friends have already started off! If we don't hurry we'll get left behind!"   
Kojiro blinked sleepily. "I'm up, I'm up! What time is it?"  
"Noon," Nyasu answered briskly, tossing Kojiro a can of food. "We overslept again. I told you two to lay off the drinks last night."  
"Whatever," Kojiro said between bites, dressing and eating at the same time (something he and Musashi had mastered). "Where are the twerps?"  
"They left an hour ago, according to the cat," Musashi told him, throwing her stuff into the back of their jeep. "We'll park a few miles away and do what we always do."  
"Fail?"  
Musashi smacked him. "No, stupid! Create an amazing plan!"  
"And this time it's gonna work!" Nyasu encouraged.  
"If you say so. "Kojiro sighed and hopped into thr passenger seat. "Let's hurry up and get this over with."

Sasami rapped on the closet door. "Washu? Miss Washu, breakfast is ready!"  
In a few moments Washu, famous mad scientist of the Juraiian Galaxy (and probably the smartest person in the universe) came out of her alternate-dimension lab and into the Masaki residence. "Ah, you're just in time!"  
"On time?" Sasami wondered. "On time for what?"  
"Get the others," Washu directed.   
"Even Kiyone and Mihoshi?" Sasami asked.  
Washu nodded. "Call 'em up! You're about to see a genius in action!"  
Twenty minutes later the entire group- Tenchi, Aeka, Mihoshi, Kiyone, Sasami, and a grumbling, sleep-eyed Ryoko- were all crowded into Washu's lab.  
"What's this all about??" Tenchi asked impatiently. "I can't stay here forever, Grandpa needs me up at the shrine."  
"Yeah, spill it!" Ryoko growled. "I've got a lot of stuff t'do ya know."  
"As if sleeping and eating are a lot to do," Aeka said under her breath.  
"Don't push me, Princess, it's still early," Ryoko snapped.  
"It's nearly ten o'clock," Aeka argued. "Most of us were up at least an hour ago!"  
"Would you two shut up so Washu could tell us something?" Kiyone practically ordered.  
"Priss."  
"Barbarian."  
"Ah-hem!" Washu interrupted. "Ladies and gentleman, aliens and earthlings, pirates and princesses! I would like to announce that I, Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the universe, have just made my best invention yet!"  
Washu pulled a cover off of a large object. A machine, with several blinking lights and a computer screen were displayed.  
Washu's robot friends popped up on her shoulders.  
"Washu you are the greatest!"  
"The best there ever was!"  
Kiyone paused. "Um... what is it?"  
Washu waved her arms dramatically. "It's a dimension portal! By molecularly deconstructing any creatures original compontents I can then reconstruct them so that they are able to appear right in front of us! I AM a genius!"  
"Uh..." Mihoshi cocked her head. "What's it called again?"  
Washu did an Animé fall-over. "I don't know why I bother!"  
"Perhaps if you explained it to us as if we didn't understand what you were saying," Aeka suggested. "I did, of course, but for Mihoshi and Sasami's sake..."  
"Liar," Ryoko told her. "You're just as miffed as any of us."  
"To put it simply: this baby can bring anyone from anywhere and any time period right to this house!" Washu announced. "Get it now?"  
A pause, then Mihoshi's, "Oh, I get it!"  
"What crap!" Ryoko spat. "You woke me up for this? What good is it?"  
"WHAT GOOD IS IT??? WHAT GOOD IS IT??" Washu got up in Ryoko's face. "WE CAN BRING ANYONE FROM ANYWHERE HERE!! THIS IS THE BIGGEST DISCOVERY IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!!"  
"Sorry I asked," Ryoko said, backing away from the eccentric scientist. She floated up to the ceiling and prepared to leave. "It's been great, but I think I'm gonna head outside and catch some rays." She winked at Tenchi. "Wanna come?"  
He sweat-dropped. "Eh, that's okay. I've got some stuff to do."  
"Oh. Fine." Ryoko sighed. "I'll be out by the lake if you need me." And with that the infamous space pirate had transported back to her room to change.  
"Can we go now?" Kiyone questioned. "I'm sure this is really amazing and everything but we've gotta make our patrol and daily report."  
"Oh, c'mon Kiyone this could be fun!" Mihoshi objected. She turned to Washu. "You think you could show us how it works, huh?"  
Washu smiled. "I'm glad you asked." Immediately her holographic computer appeared in front of her. Washu began typing in some coordinates. "Let's see... ah, here we go!" More frantic typing. "There's a solitary planet at the edge of a nearby galaxy. It's technological time period is only a little ahead of Earth's, and they appear to speak the same language as the Japanese here do."  
"What's it called?" Tenchi asked.  
"The planet? It's uncharted, but if I can get a reading from one of their computers... Here we go! They've called it Nomékop; apparently it's a backwards spelling of the animals who live there, Pokémon. I can't get an exact reading on the place- even my technology isn't good enough to drain things from a minuscule planet over 2000 light years away- but it seems like a good place to test my invention."  
"Nomékop, you say?" Aeka repeated. "That name sounds familiar to me."  
"It should. The Juraiians, on their planet-search, populated both Nomékop and part of Earth. You wouldn't know much about it, after all it was over 30 thousand years ago, but to a famous scientist like myself it's a well-known fact." Washu said, voice swelled with pride at knowing something not even the Crowned Princess of Jurai knew. She turned her attention back to her computer. "All I gotta do is enter in a spot on Nomékop where a few humans are standing, hit transport and we're set!"  
She walked over to the large machine and began entering the planet's position. "We'll set it for the here and now- no use in bringing forward the past or future on our first try. All right... the land of Johto, that seems like a nice place to start! Now we get to the hard part- my machine only picks up people with strong personalities and a good head on their shoulders. That way if we ever got in trouble we'd call people who would be of help to us. But where am I gonna find a few people bunched together with strong wills?"  
The other members of the extended Masaki family watched in mild confusion as Washu clicked away, looking for bodies that would show up on her sensors.

_"Nanda kanda to kikare tara!"  
"Kotaete ageru yo no nasake!"  
"Sekai no hakai o fusegu tame."  
"Sekai no heiwa o mamoru tame."  
"Ai to shinjitsu no aku o tsuranuku."  
"Raburii chaamii na katakiyaku."  
"Musashi!"  
"Kojiro!"  
"Ginga o kakeru Roketto-dan no futari ni wa!"  
"Howaito hooru shiroi ashita ga matteruze!"  
"Nya, nyaate na!"  
_ "Ach! Not you three again!" Satoshi Tajiri complained, pointing to where Rocket Dan stood. "Haven't you given up yet?"  
"We never give up when there's Pokémon to be stolen!" Musashi informed him, throwing out a Pokéball. "Go get 'em Arbok!"  
"C'mon Wheezing!" Kojiro also sent out one of his Poképals.  
"Pikachu, I choose-"  
"Wait Satoshi, I wanna have a chance!" Takeshi said suddenly.  
Kasumi and Satoshi stared at him. "But Takeshi! You never battle!"  
"It's never too late to start," Takeshi answered. "I just decided that I want to raise my Pokémon to be the best they can be! And how do I do that? Well, taking good care of them, of course, but battling also!"  
"It'll be over soon anyway," Satoshi whispered to Kasumi. "Then we can get in the fight."  
Kasumi sweat-dropped. As much as she hated admitting it, Takeshi's Pokémon were pretty weak, and even if Rocket Dan didn't have the best of the best, they still had more experience than Onix or Vulpix.  
"Go.... GEODUDE!" Takeshi sent a Pokéball flying.  
"GEO... DUDE!"  
"He used that thing??" Kasumi said in surprise. "Uh, Takeshi-chan?" She said tentatively. "Wouldn't it be smarter to use something a little stronger?"  
"Geodude can handle it," Takeshi insisted. "Rock throw!"  
"GEO!"  
"Arbok, poison sting!"  
"Wheezing, smog attack!"

Washu stopped with lightning quickness as six small yellow lights blinked wildly on her screen. "Bingo! Good to see 'em all gathered in one place for me!"  
"Are you gonna bring 'em all here?" Sasami asked.  
Washu shook her head. "Too many could cause a plug and cause both planets to be blown to bits. I'll just take the three closest together."  
She pressed a green button on the dimension portal, making it glow an odd grayish-blue color.  
"So they're just going to come out of the machine, right?" Tenchi asked nervously.  
"Um..." Washu paused. "I'm not sure."  
The others all fell over.  
"You mean to say that they could come out in the middle of Tokyo or something?" Kiyone practically shouted.  
"Well, no," she said carefully. "They're bound to pop out within the area of the shrine and house, anyway. I just don't know where." A thoughtful pause, then, "Oh well! Guess no one's perfect!"  
Tenchi and the remaining girls groaned, preparing for the dimension travellers to fall on their heads.

The ground beneath Kojiro, Musashi and Takeshi began to shimmer gray-blue.  
"What the-" Satoshi began, but stopped short. He could only stare.  
Kojiro watched as his hand started to glow the same color as the ground. "Musashi-chan?"  
"Yes?"  
"I'm scared."  
"Me too."  
Their quickly dimishing bodies hugged.  
Takeshi started to run back to where Satoshi and Kasumi were standing in shock, when the ground below the three opened up.  
"AAAAH!" Takeshi screamed as he was blown into D-Space.  
"_Yana kanji!_"

"There's nothing quite like being a space pirate," Ryoko said happily. She was floating about five feet above the lake in front of the Masaki home, basking in the sun's rays.  
KER-SPLASH!  
Ryoko felt a few water droplets hit her face. She opened one eye, figuring that either Mihoshi or Sasami had jumped in. She looked up- just as a tan kid with a green vest appeared out of nowhere and fell straight towards her.   
Ryoko teleported away just in time, re-materializing above where the first peace-destroyers had splashed in. A few moments later two heads, a girl and a boy, popped up.  
_"Ittai koko wa doko nan da?!"_ Musashi said angrily, looking around.  
Ryoko's sword was in her hand in an instant, glowing a bright orange. She pointed it directly at the red and lavender-haired teens. "You'd better start explaining some stuff! What are you doing on Tenchi's property?!"  
The sight of a very mean-looking woman pointing a sword made of glowing energy was enough to make the two hug in fear.  
"Don't kill us!" Musashi squeaked.  
"I don't wanna die!" Kojiro wailed.  
Just then Takeshi, the one who had almost fallen onto Ryoko, surfaced.  
"What the-"  
"Take him! Take him!" Kojiro and Musashi said, pointing at the confused kid.  
Ryoko kept her sword on the duo, but turned her eyes towards Takeshi. She pointed one hand at him, palm open, as a glowing circle of power began to grow. "Explain something to me quick or you and your friends are blown to the next galaxy."  
Takeshi stared in surprise and wonder. He didn't see the dangerous look in her eye, or the menacing sword. Rather, Takeshi was viewing a beautiful young woman, floating above the water as if she was an angel, and decked out in nothing but a red two-piece. He swam over to her as fast as his body would allow him, ignoring the ball of power and taking her hand in his. "I've died, and this beautiful angel has come to take me up to heaven! Carry me away, O Lovely One, for if all angels are like you I would be delighted to pass on!"  
Poetic, yes. Scary? Very. Ryoko's sword disappeared from her hand as she was momentarily busy. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" She flew up, trying to get him to let go, but Takeshi hung on resolutely, convinced that she was taking him to the great beyond.  
"I shall follow you wherever you wish to take me, Angelic Beauty! For I am Takeshi, Knight of the Pewter realm, here to sweep you off your feet!"  
Ryoko flew above the water and headed towards the shore, trying to shake the love-sick teen off of her. Musashi and Kojiro, with no better option, followed the struggling space pirate to the shore.  
"Let go of me! You're not dead and I'm not an angel!"  
"But you float as if you had wings!"  
"I'm a space pirate, freak! I'm supposed to fly!"  
"No pirate was ever this gorgeous!"  
Ryoko, tired of the small annoyance, flung her arm out in a great show of power. Takeshi was finally thrown off, skidding on his butt across the yard and into the side of the house.

KA-WHUMP!  
"Looks like our guests have arrived," Washu said simply, getting out of her chair. "I hope Ryoko didn't give them too warm of a welcome."  
Perplexed, the rest of the gang followed her outside and into the front yard.

"Ryoko! What are you doing?" Sasami cried.  
The pirate, who was just about to do what she had promised- blast Takeshi into the next galaxy- looked up.   
"Is that any way to treat houseguests?" Mihoshi questioned.  
Ryoko raised an eyebrow. "Houseguests? Are you kidding me!? I just got attacked by THAT one!" She pointed at a dazed Takeshi.  
"Well, they're bound to be a little temperamental," Kiyone replied. "After all, they've just been transported from their home to a completely different planet."  
"Can't someone tell me what's going on?" Ryoko demanded angrily.  
"Miss Washu used her dimension portal to bring them to our home," Aeka explained.  
Kojiro and Musashi, who had been standing at the shoreline listening to the conversation, now walked up to the strangers. Musashi wrung her hair out as the went, thoroughly dousing Kojiro on the way.  
Washu walked up to the duo and bowed regally. "Welcome to Earth, D-Space Travellers. My name is Washu, famous scientist of the Juraiian Galaxy."  
"Uh, Musashi."  
"Kojiro."  
"Do you think you can tell us what's going on?" Musashi asked carefully. "One minute we're battling-"  
"And the next we're being attacked by a mad-woman in a bikini!" Kojiro finished.  
"Who? Ryoko?" Tenchi asked. He laughed. "Ryoko's not mad- just a little wild and protective."  
"Well, can you blame me?" she said, floating down to stand next to Tenchi. "How was I supposed to know they weren't here to kill us?" She hugged Tenchi fiercely. "I'd never let anyone hurt my Tenchi."  
"YOUR Tenchi?! Ugh!" Aeka groaned.  
Musashi blinked a few times. She pointed first to Washu, then Ryoko, then Tenchi, repeating their names. She turned to the other girls. "And you are...?"  
"First class detective Mihoshi!"  
"First class detective Kiyone!"  
"Princess Aeka of the Planet Jurai."  
"Just call me Sasami!"  
Takeshi, who had recovered from his fall, looked at the three older women with new hope. "I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, but now I see that I'm very much alive and heaven has been brought to me! Women from space! It's a dream come true!"  
He dashed to Aeka's side, grabbing her hands. "What did you say your name was, miss?"  
She blushed nervously. "Eh... Princess Aeka."  
"The name suits you! You certainly look like a gorgeous Princess to me!"  
Now she was blushing happily. "Why, thank you. You're rather sweet."  
"But Princess isn't enough for you, oh no!" he continued. "You ought to have the title of Queen! And then maybe I could be your King, huh?"  
Aeka pulled back sharply. She didn't mind a little flirting (if only to get Tenchi jealous) but this was ridiculous! "No, thank you. I barely know you and you're a bit young... I don't even know your name."  
"I am Takeshi, knight from the Nomékop world! The god of Love, if you will," he said regally.  
"God of Love my butt," Kiyone muttered, rolling her eyes. When she looked back down Takeshi was there, staring up into her eyes.   
"You're a detective, eh? What kind?"  
Kiyone frowned, pushing him away from her. "Get off me, Romeo. I'm not interested."  
"Hey Kiyone, you oughta be nicer to him!" Mihoshi said. "He's just been zapped a thousand million miles from his own planet!"  
"Mihoshi, right?" Takeshi asked, now going for the blonde.  
"Yeah, that's right," she agreed.  
"You know, you can violate my rights anytime you want," he said, trying to sound cool.  
Mihoshi giggled. "You're kinda cute, did you know that?"   
"I've been told."  
"What's with this guy?" Ryoko said more to herself than anyone else.  
Even so, Musashi decided to answer. "Hormone levels."  
"Through the roof," Kojiro added.  
"TENCHI!?" someone yelled from across the yard. "I've been waiting nearly an hour for you up at the shrine. What's taking so long?"  
"Uh, sorry Grandpa!" Tenchi shouted back. "We've got some visitors."  
"Nevermind, I'll come to meet them!" he replied, already walking to where the group was standing. Once he had taken his place next to Tenchi, he viewed the wet and confused Nomékop visitors. Acting like this was perfectly normal, he said, "Are you just going to let them stand here, soaking wet? Get them inside and get them some dry clothes."  
"Uh, a shower would be nice," Musashi said tentatively.  
"And some answers as to why we're here," Kojiro ventured to say.  
Tenchi's grandpa, Katsuhito -or Yosho- nodded. "We'll dismiss your chores for the day, Tenchi. You can help the boys get comfortable." He turned to the girls. "And you can get the young lady something to wear and a shower."  
"I'll go get lunch started!" Sasami volunteered. Everyone had forgotten all about breakfast in their excitement.   
Ryoko sighed. "Come on girl, I'll suit you up with something."  
Aeka took Musashi's arm. "I've got some lovely dresses you might like trying." Aeka wasn't about to let Ryoko turn this new guest against her before they'd barely met! "Much better than that savage's garments!"  
Musashi followed Ryoko and Aeka into the house, followed shortly by Tenchi, Takeshi and Kojiro. Katsuhito went back up to the shrine, and Washu retreated to her lab.  
Kiyone and Mihoshi left the job to their friends. "We still haven't made our report!" Kiyone told Mihoshi.  
The Galaxy Police Officers trotted off towards their ship. Guests or no guests, they had a job to do.

"Here," Tenchi said, handing Takeshi some khakis and a shirt. "It's not much, but I guess it'll have to do until your clothes dry."  
Takeshi ignored what Tenchi had and threw his big backpack off of his shoulders. "Don't bother. This is waterproof and I've got an extra set."  
Takeshi pulled out... the exact same outfit he had on. Tenchi decided not to ask. He turned to Kojiro. "Do you need these?"  
Kojiro took the khakis, shirt and other items gratefully. "All my stuff's back home."  
"So what's it like on Nomékop?" Tenchi asked curiously. "Anything like here?"  
"Sorta. Same color sky and trees and everything." Kojiro answered, but he seemed distracted. "Uh, where exactly is your bathroom? So I can change?"  
Tenchi blushed. "Stupid me. Down the hall and on your left. Can't miss it." Takeshi and Kojiro began to make their exit. "Just head on downstairs when you get done. Sasami'll probably have lunch ready by then."  
Takeshi cocked his head. "Lunch? Made by... someone else?"  
"Uh, yeah. Why?"  
He still seemed amazed by this simple fact. "Wow... oh, sorry! It's just, I've never actually had anyone cook for me since I was, like, nine. I'll just, go, change now."  
As Takeshi left, Kojiro rolled his eyes. "The kid's a basket case waiting to happen." He started to go, but stopped. "Can I ask a question?"  
"Sure."  
"Are their such things as Pokémon and a Rocket Dan here?" Kojiro asked nervously. "Any bosses, annoying rivals, and twerps?"  
Tenchi blinked a few times, surprised by the odd question. "No. I've never even heard of a Rocket Dan. Or Pokémon."  
Kojiro seemed relieved. "Great. I'll see you in a few."  
Tenchi sweat-dropped as Kojiro disappeared around the doorframe. His guests just kept getting weirder and weirder. 

"Yes, I believe you would look lovely in this," Aeka said, holding a fancy dress up to Musashi.   
She looked down at the five layers, huge sleeves, and purple sash. "No, I wouldn't."  
"No worries, I have much more-" she shuffled to find another dress.   
"Maybe you should ask her what SHE wants, Princess," Ryoko commented lazily. She was spread out on a sofa, still in her bathing suit and thoroughly enjoying this. "Just 'cause she's from another planet in an inferior galaxy doesn't mean she's an idiot, ya know."  
"Very well," Aeka consented. "What is your preference, Miss Musashi?"  
"Just Musashi," she said sharply. "And I don't want any of this. I'm soaking wet and we've been standing here for ten minutes. I'm not interested in all this frilly crap."  
Ryoko stood up, cracking her back. "I figured. Come with me, girl, I've got some things you might like."  
Aeka, still steaming from Musashi's insult about 'frilly crap,' let the two young women leave.  
"Humph!" she muttered once they were gone. "Some people have no respect for dressing properly. I shouldn't be surprised though, what with that tiny skirt she was wearing."  
Ryoko stuck her head around the door, completely taking Aeka off-guard. "Shame shame, Princess. Talking about people behind their back. Not a very royal thing to do, now is it?"  
"It's also not a very royal thing to spy on someone," Aeka retorted.  
"I wasn't spying," Ryoko justified. "I overheard. Bye now, I've got a guest to entertain."  
Before Aeka could add another stinging comment, Ryoko was gone.

Ryoko opened up her closet. "There's the goods. Go nuts."  
Musashi didn't have to look long before finding a thin, light blue, ankle-length dress that she liked. "This is perfect! Not like that priss' junk. God, how can someone walk around in all those robes all the time?"  
Ryoko was just about to answer when a small animal with rabbit-ears crawled out from underneath the bedspread.  
"Oh, you awake Ryo-Ohki?" Ryoko said, holding out her hand for the cabbit to jump on. The sleepy-looking animal scrambled onto her shoulder, mewing happily.  
Musashi pointed at the creature in amazement. "Is that a new Pokémon?"  
"A what?" Ryoko asked, scratching the critter's chin. "This is Ryo-Ohki, my spaceship."  
"Space... ship?"  
"Nevermind. Just go take a shower and get dressed. I'm starving, and the sooner you get done the sooner we can eat!" she almost snapped.  
Musashi was about to smack her over the with her kitchen utensil of choice, but thought better of it. Ryoko was some sort of power-house witch, or something, and Musashi wasn't going to mess with her until she knew exactly what the pirate could do. "Right. Where is the bathroom?"  
Ryoko stood up to lead the way. "Washu's got this dimension thing made for the girls. I'll take you to it." She grabbed Musashi's hand. "Hold on, this'll feel kinda weird."  
Musashi gasped as, for a split second, she was hurled into nothingness, but then she was back out in a beautiful garden-like area with hot springs gushing from the center.  
"What just happened?" she asked, blinking.  
"I teleported us here." Ryoko pointed to a door. "You can get to the house from there, then take the stairs down to Tenchi's living room. Now, I gotta go find Tenchi before Aeka does. Who knows what she'll do if she gets him alone?"  
Ryoko was about to leave, when Musashi said, "Don't you think you should put some clothes on first?"  
The space pirate looked down at her bikini-clad self. She blushed. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Thanks!"  
And with that, she was gone.  
Musashi stepped into the springs, sighing in content when the hot water hit her ankles. After all the crap that'd happened over the past few hours, she needed some relaxation.

Refreshed and over their momentary shock, Kojiro, Takeshi and Musashi walked in to the Masaki living room at about the same time. The others were already there, and Sasami had just brought out something that resembled some food they had back home.  
"I hope you like egg rolls," Sasami said, looking up at the guests. "I made plenty so have as much as you want."  
The trio dug into the food with a will, outshining even Ryoko in inappropriate table manners.  
Aeka coughed a few times. "Ah-hem, pardon, but I believe we here eat with our elbows off the table."  
"Of course, Princess!" Takeshi yelped, blushing violently. "I was distracted by all the pretty faces!"  
Kiyone groaned, Aeka sighed, Ryoko ignored him and Mihoshi giggled.   
"That's really nice of you to say! You really think I'm pretty?" Mihoshi asked sweetly.  
"Of course! I would never lie about that!"  
"Well I think you're kinda cute too. So where did you say you were from?" she inquired, taking a bite of egg roll.  
"Nomékop. It's uh... well, I'm not sure where it is compared to Earth."  
"Speaking of Nomékop," Musashi ventured, looking at Washu, "how did you find us and get us here?"  
Washu paused, thinking reflectively. "It's kind of a long story, but if you want I can tell it to you."  
"We could use a little info," Kojiro agreed. He finished off his third egg roll. "Mm, these are good! I'm stuffed!"  
"That's a first," Musashi said dryly. "You and your abominable pit."  
Kojiro laughed. Apparently it was a private joke.  
Sasami picked up the plates. "I'll go clean these off. You can go ahead and start the story if you want, Washu. I won't be long."   
The scientist took Sasami's words to heart, and immediately began explaining how the trio of D-Space travellers had arrived there. She also went a bit farther to tell everyone about her and the rest of the Masaki extended family. By the time she was done Sasami had finished with the dishes and joined the rest of the party back in the living room.  
"There's one thing I don't get," Takeshi was saying as Sasami walked out. "How is it that we all speak the same language, but we're from halfway across the galaxy, as is Earth and Jurai?"  
Washu glanced in Aeka's direction. "I think the Princess can explain that to you a bit better than I can."  
Aeka looked up suddenly, surprised that Washu had called on her. "Me? I'm sure a famous scientist like yourself could-"  
"What's the matter Princess?" Ryoko chided. "Don't know enough about your own planet to tell 'em what's up?"  
Aeka bristled, sparked on by Ryoko's challenge. "I shall tell you everything you need to know, from beginning to end."  
"That's my girl!" Washu chuckled, leaning back against the couch behind her.  
"Very well, then. How do I begin?" she paused, to gather her thoughts, then went on. "I suppose it started nearly 35 thousand years ago, back when Jurai was becoming acquainted with Hyper-speed space travel. Our planet was quickly becoming overpopulated- recent medicines and technological breakthroughs had made life-spans longer and babies more likely to survive- and we were in need of spreading ourselves to different planets. We found ten planets uninhabited planets in the Universe; they were all life-worthy, but we had no idea which ones which would be suitable for Juraiians and which were not. As groups were sent to explore, we found that four of the planets weren't as hospitable as we'd hoped, and one was already inhabited by primitive creatures called humans. Nevertheless, four of them were good for us, and we settled the four immediately. A scattered dozen or so scientists and such visited Earth, where they landed on a small island and taught the people the Juraiian language. Apparently it stuck. Those people were the Japanese.   
"One of the four planets that was good for Juraiians was your own Nomékop. The people on that one decided that, rather than start life at a high level of technology, to practically start over, with nothing but the bare minimum. They would forget about their Jurai roots, and tell their children nothing. Very soon we lost contact with the planet, and the two of us drifted away from each other. You developed most of your own traditions, but apparently the language and some of the culture stayed." She relaxed, looking to Washu for approval. "I believe that is all, Miss Washu?"  
The genius nodded. "Very nice, Aeka. I guess you were paying attention during your history classes."  
"A good Princess pays attention to everything all of her schoolmaster's say," Aeka said, trying to sound humble but ending up sounding like a snob.  
Ryoko faked a snore, then sat upright as if she'd just woken up. "Is it over yet?"  
Sasami, Mihoshi, Musashi and Kojiro hid laughs. Aeka steamed. "Well I'm sorry that you have no interest in your own roots! The planet you were born on was one of the second-planets of Jurai too, you know."  
"I could care less about the past! That was a million years ago! Who really gives a hoot what happened then?" Ryoko argued.  
"Any honest and good person would! But I guess that leaves you out!" Aeka shot back.  
"If being honest and good means being a stuck-up priss like yourself than count me out!"  
Takeshi sighed happily. "They're like Satoshi and Kasumi, but with better bodies." Odd looks from Musashi and Kojiro. "Uh, you didn't hear me say that."  
"That reminds me," Musashi said suddenly. "This place is great and all, but how are we supposed to get back home? I'm sure Nyasu is worried-"  
"And Boss Rocket is throwing a party," Kojiro continued wryly.   
"But anyway, do you have something that can take us back home?" Musashi finished.  
Washu sat upright with a start. She scratched her chin, as if in deep thought. After a moment of silence, she grinned and said, "Gee, I never thought about that!"  
Everyone fell over.   
"You didn't WHAT?" Takeshi yelped. "You mean we can't get back home?? Ever??"  
"A vacation's okay but if we stay for too long we'll get fired!" Musashi snapped.  
"I DON'T WANNA STAY HERE IN OKIYAMA! ALL MY STUFF'S BACK HOME!" Kojiro wailed.  
Tenchi jumped up, hands out to keep the trio from attacking Washu. "Calm down! I'm sure Washu has a perfectly good solution!"  
Kiyone shot the scientist a look. "RIGHT, Washu?"  
Another pause, then, "Nope! I'm stumped!"  
Everyone face-vaulted.  
"That's what most scientists would say," she went on. "But since I am Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the Universe, I'll just build a tunnel that goes out instead of in!"  
"And how long will that take?" Kojiro wondered.  
"Oh, let's see..." Washu counted on her fingers real quick, muttering to herself. "If the input took... then the output... plus equipment... add technicalities... two to three months!"  
"But what about our lives back home?!" Musashi shouted, pulling out a mallet and holding it menacingly above Washu's head.  
"Relax," she said calmly, always maintaing her composure. "When the time comes for you to go home I'll just set it for this day. Then you'll go back home not more than two hours after you left. How does that sound, huh?"  
None of the three could even begin to comprehend time travel, but Washu DID seem to know what she was talking about.  
"That could work," Kojiro agreed.  
Musashi's mallet disappeared. "All right, pinkhead, I'll take you up on that offer. But you better get moving, 'cause I'm not waiting any longer than I have to to get back home."  
"No problem, fire-scalp," Washu replied easily. "I'm on my way down to the lab already."  
"Fire WHAT??" Musashi growled as Washu stood up. She pulled out a paper fan and made as if to hit the scientist.   
WACK! Washu had pulled out a small device that had sprung open and smacked Musashi across the face. "They don't call me a genius for nothing, you know. If anyone needs me you'll know where to find me. 'Till next meal."  
She opened the closet door, and was gone.  
"You okay, Musa-chan?" Kojiro asked his partner.  
She rubbed her face hard, trying to remove the red mark. "Yeah. Can you do me a favor, Kojiro?"  
"Uh..."  
"Collect some of Wheezing's acid in a tube for me- the next time I see that woman she's getting a faceful of burning liquid for ruining this perfection." Musashi threatened. It was an idle threat, of course, after seeing what Washu could do Musashi wasn't about to mess with her. "Ugh, I can't get this darn mark off! Can I go up to my room and-" she stopped.  
"Where exactly are we gonna sleep for the next four months?" Takeshi asked.  
"Well, Aeka and Sasami share a room, Kiyone and Mihoshi have an apartment, and Washu's got her lab..." Tenchi rattled off people's names, thinking aloud.  
"Perhaps you should put the young woman with Ryoko and have Washu make the boys a dimensional room." Katsuhito had snuck in to the house without anyone noticing.   
"With all due respect, Grandfather, but are you sure it would be wise to put Miss Musashi with Miss Ryoko? Miss Ryoko will only cause trouble for the lady-" Aeka began to object.  
"Trouble? That's my motto," Musashi interrupted. "Back home Kojiro and I are famous Pokémon thieves."  
"Thieves!?" Aeka put her head in her hands. "This household is going down the drain, I just know it..."  
"Why don't you take Miss Musashi up to your room, Ryoko?" Katsuhito suggested. "And Tenchi, do you suppose it would be too much trouble if you asked Washu to build a dimension portal and room for the young men?"  
"I'm on my way, Grandpa," Tenchi obeyed, heading to the closet. He motioned for Kojiro and Takeshi to follow him. Kojiro waved good-bye to Musashi, then disappeared with the others.  
"I guess I'll get you set up," Ryoko said almost grudgingly. "Just what I need, some girl ruining my privacy."  
"Uh, if you want I could just share a room with Kojiro," Musashi volunteered. "We're used to sleeping togeth- what I mean is that Kojiro and I have been best friend for years and are used to the other ones company." By now she was blushing as red as her hair.  
"Around here we like to segregate the girls and the boys room-wise," Katsuhito said decisively. "That way no problems or... other things can arise."  
Ryoko tugged on Musashi's long hair- which now hung wet and limp down her back- teasingly. "Yeah, so two certain people can't have the other's 'company.'"  
Once again Musashi felt a rising urge to slap the pirate, but stopped herself. She threw a hand up as if it didn't matter. "Whatever. Let's go Ryoko."  
"Kiyone, Mihoshi, could you go pick some vegetables from the garden for dinner?" Sasami asked as Ryoko and Musashi left.  
"Okay," the duo agreed, standing up.  
"I think I will go help Tenchi get the boys settled-" Aeka began to follow her heartthrob, but Sasami took hold of her robe and steered her into the kitchen.  
"No way, Aeka. You're going to help me count the money we've saved up. If we're gonna have more guests here they're going to need clothes and your average day-to-day things."  
"Oh... fine. Lead the way, Sasami."

"Little Washu?" Tenchi said as he came up behind the mad scientist. "Do you think you can design a room for Takeshi and Kojiro? We don't have any extra space around the house, so if it's not too much trouble-"  
"No problem for a genius like me," Washu smirked, typing busily on her holo keyboard. "Just tell me where and what you want it to look like and I'll have it up within a few hours."  
Tenchi thought about where the best place for the room would be. "There's an empty closet that nobody uses upstairs next to Ryoko's room. You could put it in there!"  
More typing, then. "Done! I've set up the portal. Now it's up to the others to decide what it should look like."  
"Tan walls!" Takeshi said.  
"Pastel blue walls!" Kojiro said at the same time.  
They glared at each other.  
"I don't want a stupid color like that! Tan is simple and manly."  
"Well, blue is romantic!"  
"Blue is gay!"  
"Tan is boring!"  
Tenchi stepped between the two, saying to Washu. "Just make it like the other rooms in the house."  
"With beds as far away from each other as possible!" Kojiro put in, staring down Takeshi.  
Takeshi met the gaze and held it. "Exactly what I was thinking."  
"Freak."  
"Pansy."  
Tenchi smiled weakly. "Can't we just all be friends?"  
"NO!"  
He slumped back into a chair Washu had placed for him. "I was afraid of that. Now we have two pairs of dueling dragons in the house."  
Washu grinned. "At least they aren't fighting over you, Tenchi!"

There was not quite an hour left until dinnertime, and Musashi was having a major crisis.  
"You mean NO ONE in this house has any hairspray??"  
Ryoko shrugged. "Sorry, but I've never even seen a can except in stores."  
"Then how do you get your hair to stick up like that?"  
"Like how?"  
"All spiky!"  
"Hmm..." Ryoko pulled a strand down, held it between her fingers, then let go. It sprang immediately back into it's old position. "I guess it just stays that way! What's the big deal?"  
Musashi held up her long red hair. "Look at this! Without the spray I won't be able to get it into the right style! I can't show my face in public with my hair looking so... grotesque!"  
"I still don't see what the problem is. Just brush it, put it up in a hair-tie or something and go with it. Who's gonna care?"   
"Me, that's who! I never do anything plain! Eck!" Musashi complained, rubbing a strand of hair between her fingers.  
Ryoko ran her hand through her own hair. "Whatever." She floated to the door. "I'm gonna go get cleaned up. You staying here?"  
Musashi nodded, trying to lift her hair up with her hands... and failing. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be here when you get back. Unless I'm not."  
"You know, you can go wherever you want. Everybody else does."  
"I don't know where anything is."  
"Well, you'll never know until you look around." And with that the space pirate was gone; teleported to the spa-like bathroom.  
"Ugh, what am I gonna do?" Musashi grumbled.  
A familiar purple-haired head poked around the door. "Miss Musashi? I couldn't help but overhear your predicament, and it just so happens that I am very good with hairstyles."  
Aeka, of course, and looking like she'd just gotten out of the bath. Musashi wasn't exactly thrilled with the snooty Princess, but at that moment she didn't have a better option. "Oh, fine. Do you have any hairspray?"  
"No. But I do have some ideas that I believe would make you look lovely." Aeka smiled winningly, and almost sincerely. Musashi knew she was up to something.  
"I guess that could work-"  
"Come along, then, to my room. We can chat while I work!" Aeka pulled the startled Rocket out of Ryoko's room, down the hall and into her own. Within moments she had grabbed brush, clips and hair-ties, plunked Musashi down in front of a chair and began to brush out the long red strands.  
"It's so nice that we can have a little time together. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get you away from Ryoko in time." Aeka prattled, running the brush none-too-gently through Musashi's hair. "You see, someone needs to warn you of the dangers Ryoko poses to people."  
"Ow! What-oo- dangers?" Musashi asked, wincing between hair-pulls.  
"Oh, it's nothing, not really..." Aeka paused to grab a clip. "But then again, it could be something."  
Musashi grimaced as her hair was pulled back tightly. "I hate guessing games, Princess. Just tell me what's wrong with her."  
"It's just... well, Ryoko is a very violent space pirate, you realize."  
"Yeah. I'm violent too. So?"  
"Not only that, but she tends to be rather possessive- of both people and items- and a pathological liar. She tells so many stories about me, none of them true of course, but still... I just supposed I should give you fair warning, especially since she may become covetous of your Kojiro-" Aeka explained.  
"MY Kojiro??" Musashi snapped, whipping her head around so Aeka's hands flew off her partly-finished hair. "Who ever said he was mine? Who made up the lie? I oughta deck the person who said that bull!"  
"N-no one said anything, Miss Musashi," Aeka said quickly. "I just assumed-"  
"Well you assumed wrong!" the Rocket practically shouted, turning back the way she'd been. "And I'll decide who I like and who I don't like. I don't need anybody spreading half-truths about other people."  
Aeka was about to open her mouth to say more, but decided against it. She'd already put this guest on guard- she'd have to be extra careful now or Ryoko would turn Musashi against her for sure! "I apologize. Next time I shall think more before I jump to conclusions."  
The rest of the time was spent mostly in silence. In about five minutes Aeka proclaimed that she was done with Musashi's hair. Musashi stood up and looked into a mirror uneasily.  
"Ah!" she cried, eyes going googly. "I LOVE it!"  
Aeka really hadn't done that much, but what she had done did look nice. Musashi's long red hair was pulled up in a pony, then tucked back under into the same hair tie. The shorter side pieces of her hair hung over her ears similar to the way Ryoko's did.   
"You're a genius!" Musashi praised. "Everyone says Washu is but I bet she can't do this!"  
"You're too kind," Aeka said, chuckling darkly. Maybe she could win this one over after all.   
Musashi noticed something that made her do a double take. "WHERE ARE MY EARRINGS??"  
"You're, you're what?" Aeka wondered. "You weren't wearing any when you came in here."  
Musashi dug around in the dresses pockets. "Oh, where are they?? My beautiful green earrings..."  
Aeka felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Did they happen to be large, green spheres?"  
"Yes, yes, those're them. Where ARE they?? Do you know??"  
Aeka twisted a strand of purple hair nervously. "I, er, found a pair like that in the spa."  
Musashi whirled around to face the princess. "AND??"  
"Well... I thought they were some sort of experiment made by Washu... and I, well, they were rather ghastly, huge things... oh, this is quite embarassing..." Aeka sighed, and said in a very small voice. "I had my guardians disintegrate them."  
Musashi's face went from anxious to bright red anger. "YOU. DID. WHAT???"  
"I'm very sorry, Miss Musashi. I have plenty of earrings if you would like some more-"  
"No thanks Princess I-Have-Better-Taste-Than-Everyone-Else, you've done enough for one day!" Musashi shouted, stomping out the door and slamming it forcefully behind her. Outside Aeka heard Musashi wail, "AND THOSE WERE A PRESENT FROM KOJIRO, TOO!"  
Aeka winced. She hadn't done quite as good of a job as she had hoped.

Takeshi, after putting his stuff away, got bored and made his way down to his regular place of Zen- the kitchen. He found Sasami there, mixing in ingredients for some sort of soup.  
"Hm, I followed the recipe perfectly," she said to herself. "But for some reason it doesn't taste right."  
The young cook leaned over the cookbook, seeing if she'd missed something. Silently Takeshi came over, picked up the wooden spoon and tasted the concoction experimentally. After a moment he said, "Pepper."  
Sasami jumped, looking up. She found the houseguest Takeshi standing next to her. "What'd you say?"  
"Pepper," Takeshi repeated, already going to the cabinets. "It's not spicy enough- it needs a little more zip."  
Sasami followed him, pointing out the cabinet where he could find the spices. "You sure seem to know what you're talking about. Have you made this before or something?"  
"Nope," Takeshi told her, pulling down the pepper. "I'm just a natural-born cook. My mom always said I had a good taste for all sorts of food. Everyone's gifted in some way, I guess." He dumped a tablespoon of pepper into the mix, stirred and tasted. After a couple of seconds he added a teaspoon more and repeated the process. He smiled. "There! That's more like it!"  
Sasami tasted the mixture herself. She smiled back at Takeshi. "Wow! That's exactly what it needed! You must be a famous chef back home!"  
"I wish," Takeshi said dreamily. "I'm just your regular, average teen...mostly, anyway." He paused, then went on. "You know, since you guys are kinda giving me room and board and things like that, I was wondering if maybe there was some way I can repay you."  
Sasami smiled. "Sure is! You can help me with the cooking! Everyone else in this house couldn't boil water if their lives depended on it!"  
Takeshi laughed. "That doesn't seem like much of a hard job to me- cooking's one of my favorite pastimes."  
"Yeah? Mine too. My sister- Aeka- thinks I'm crazy for it," Sasami giggled, taking the pot of the stove to cool.  
Takeshi smiled, looking with new interest on the kid. She couldn't be more than eleven- he had no relationship interest with her, of course- but at least he'd found himself a soul mate while he was on this alien rock.

Musashi sat quietly at the dinner table, eating without a sound and shooting evil glances at Aeka from time to time.  
"Musa-chan, is something wrong?" Kojiro wondered. "You're never this quiet. You okay?"  
Musashi shrugged, and continued eating.  
"You sick or something?" Kojiro pried, moving closer to feel her forehead. He stopped, and stared. "Musashi, where are your earrings? I've never seen you without them, unless we're sleeping-"   
She glared daggers at Aeka. "Why don't you ask the Princess? She knows exactly where they are."  
All eyes turned to Aeka. The Juraiian Royalty looked down in shame, explaining the entire story. "I am very sorry for the distress I may have caused, and for the personal damage which cannot be undone."  
The silence was broken only by the sound of Mihoshi slurping her soup. "Wow, this is awesome! What's it called Sasami?"  
Kiyone head fell against the table in frustration. "Can't you think about something other than food for one second??"  
"Sorry Kiyone but I've got to compliment Sasami on this new soup!" Mihoshi explained.  
Sasami decided this would be a good way to change the subject before a fight erupted. "You ought to be thanking Takeshi! It would have tasted all yucky and plain if he hadn't helped me!"  
"Oh, so you're a cook," Tenchi said, following Sasami's lead. "Had a lot of experience?"  
"All my life," Takeshi said, beaming. Getting compliments from your friends was one thing; getting compliments from alien strangers was completely different.  
Aeka turned away from Musashi and joined in the other's conversation.  
"I can't believe they're just going to let her get away with that!" Musashi growled.   
Kojiro sighed. "Just let it go, Musashi."  
"But I know you spent a lot of money on those-"  
"It's okay. We can always get another pair," Kojiro interrupted. He hesitated. "Well... for what it's worth, you look really nice, with your hair up like that and that blue dress."  
Musashi turned away, pretending to be upset, but in fact she was blushing. Ryoko noticed that deep shade of red on Musashi's cheeks and winked encouragingly. Musashi, enraged by the fact that someone had seen her freaking out over a little compliment, excused herself in a hurry and went up to Ryoko's room.

"I can't believe I'm stuck sharing a room with the Sugarplum fairy," Takeshi complained, throwing his stuff down on his new and temporary bed.  
"Look who's talking apron-boy," Kojiro shot back, though he seemed distracted.  
"What's with you?" Takeshi wondered, pulling out his frilly pink apron and hanging it in the closet. "We're going to be spending half of the next three months with each other, and you don't even seem freaked by that."  
Kojiro flopped down on the bed. "Oh, I am, don't worry. I'm just worried about Musashi. She was kinda... why am I even telling YOU about this? Forget I said anything."  
"Someone's got a crush," Takeshi sang.   
"Shut up and go to sleep," Kojiro muttered. "That's your problem, you don't know when to quit. There isn't a single girl on this planet who will EVER go for that insane style, just like there was no one back home." "Then why did Mihoshi call me cute?"  
"She was humoring you," Kojiro replied easily. "We talking or we unpacking and sleeping? The last thing I wanna do is make some sort of guy-guy bond with a twerp like you."  
"Right back at you!" Takeshi finished putting away his things, crawled under the covers, and turned off the lights. 

Musashi sighed, watching the TV in Ryoko's room with unseeing eyes. She'd asked Washu to make a television to put in the room- the scientist had obliged. Not only that, but she got every channel from Earth, Jurai AND Nomékop. Sometimes it paid to have a genius around. Ryoko materialized suddenly, causing Musashi to jump in surprise. "What are you doing here??"  
"Well, this IS my room," Ryoko said sarcastically. She held up a jar of liquid and some cups. "You seemed kinda stressed at dinner, so I brought up one of my favorite delicacies."  
Musashi held the cup as Ryoko poured some of the drink in. "What is it?"  
"Sake," Ryoko replied. Upon seeing Musashi's odd look, she explained. "It's a kind of alcoholic tea. Calms the nerves and helps you forget your problems."  
"Anything like beer?" Musashi guessed.  
"Yeah."  
Musashi held the glass high. "A kindred spirit!" She gulped down the alcohol, shivering happily. "It's got a nice zip to it!"  
Ryoko laughed. She sipped the drink, not wanting to get too drunk before she got a couple answers from Musashi. After the Rocket had had a few cups (the tea was pretty potent), Ryoko decided to chat. "What d'you think of the others, huh? Gotten any first impression yet?"  
Musashi nodded. "Well, Kiyone seems okay, even for a police officer."  
"Hasn't turned me in yet," Ryoko agreed. "I think in a way we're kind of alike- as much as pirate and police can be, anyway."  
"And Mihoshi is a total ditz," Musashi went on, "but I bet she's fine. Prob'ly a crack-up." Ryoko nodded, and Musashi continued. "Aeka is... I'm not gonna go there. I can't believe she'd throw away my earrings like that without even ask people anything."  
"I couldn't agree more."  
"Sasami's a nice kid. Hard t'believe she's related to Aeka. I guess Washu's fine, but kinda wacky."  
"Mm-hm. And Tenchi?" Ryoko pried, curious as to if the new girl would become a rival or a friend.  
Musashi smiled. "Tenchi's nice... real sweet and junk... and a nice host. Make a good friend, loyal and all that, I bet."   
Ryoko bared her teeth. "Well, back off! Tenchi's mine, all right? We took an oath to die together and everything!"  
Musashi held up her hands in self-defense. "I didn't say I liked him! Naw, Tenchi's not my type. 'Sides, I've already got someone in mind."  
"Kojiro?"  
No answer.  
"Aw, Musashi, come on!" Ryoko goaded, already feeling a bit tipsy herself.  
Musashi looked at her hands and nodded. Ryoko laughed, patting her on the back and almost knocking her out of her chair.  
"I had a feeling! Are you'n'him close're something, huh? Datin' and everything?"  
Musashi let out a single humorless laugh. "I wish! Kojiro and I've been friends forever... nothin' more than friends, unfortunately."  
"Why's that?" Ryoko wondered. "You don't seem t'have any rivals for him like I do, and it's not like you haven't known each other long enough..."  
"Well, I guess part of it's my job," Musashi confessed. "We're always so busy with everything. And then Nyasu's hanging around, so there's another problem-"  
"That has been erased with this dimension trip!" Ryoko reminded her.  
"Also... well... I don't know how to put this... I'm not good at expressing myself, you know? Everytime I wanna tell him, I panic and smack him over the head or comment about catching Pikachu- that's a Pokémon. And, well, quite frankly I don't know if Kojiro feels the same way about me. I've always wondered about his gender preference, too, even though he's never actually come on to a guy... or a girl..." even in this stage, Musashi knew when to stop. "So what about you? What's keepin' you back from Tenchi?"  
"Aeka," Ryoko said bluntly. "Not to mention the fact that we don't have ANY privacy, not with a million people around this house."  
She paused, and Musashi knew that wasn't all. "Go on."  
"Eh..." Ryoko blushed. "I know nothing about men, or love, or any of that junk. I've been alone most of my life, and the rest was usually spent around other female pirates. So guys are a new thing for me. Everytime I try something Tenchi just gets farther away from me."  
Musashi sipped her Sake thoughtfully. "You know, there might be a way we can help each other."  
Ryoko sat up intently. "How's that?"  
"Well, I'm no good at expressing my feelings, but I know a lot about guys. And you're great at expressing you're feelings, but know nothing about guys. The way I figure, if we pair up-"  
"We can teach the other one what they need to know!" Ryoko finished triumphantly.  
"Not only that, but we'll help the other one get a little privacy."  
"An amazing scheme."  
"Naturally."  
The held up their glasses.  
"To a perfect partnership!" Musashi toasted.  
"And the boys of our dreams!" Ryoko added.  
"To Washu's invention-"  
"May her portal back to Nomékop take twice as long to build!"  
They paused, trying to think of something else. Finally Musashi said:  
"To us?"  
Ryoko smirked. "To us!"

**To Be Continued...**

Tenchi: It looks like the D-Space Travellers are fitting in pretty well with the rest of the family. Musashi and Ryoko seem to have really hit it off.  
Mihoshi: Yeah and isn't Takeshi cute?  
Ryoko: Heheh, with Musashi on my side fighting against Aeka, I can't possibly lose Tenchi on this one!  
Aeka: What!? Are you two planning something already? UGH!  
Kiyone: Don't you ever stop fighting? This is getting silly.  
Washu: Coming up next in the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for Houseguests!  
Aeka: It's unquestionably irritating!  


[Episode Two: No Need for Friendships][7]

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	2. Episode Two: No Need for Friendships

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Episode Two

Episode Two:  
  
No Need for Friendships  


Takeshi and Kojiro opened their eyes slowly to the sound of someone knocking on their door.   
"Musashi, could you get that?" Kojiro asked, still half-asleep and forgetting where he was. "It's prob'ly for you anyway."  
Takeshi got up reluctantly and opened the door. "Yeah?" he asked sleepily.  
"Oh! I'm sorry Takeshi, did I wake you?" It was Sasami.   
"No problem Sasami," he assured her. "I'm usually up by now anyway. Must be something like jet-lag, I guess."  
"Yeah, maybe." She looked past him. "Is Kojiro up?"  
Kojiro waved an arm to signal he was awake, then let it drop again.  
"You gotta get up, Kojiro!" Sasami told him. "You and Musashi have to go into town to buy some stuff today!"  
Kojiro's head perked up immediately. "Shop?"  
She nodded. "You can't just use Tenchi's things for the next four months. Now come on, breakfast is ready."  
In a few minutes Kojiro, Takeshi, Musashi and the others were seated around the crowded table, talking and eating.  
"Oh, I am ready for another trip into town!" Aeka commented. "I haven't been in ages."  
"Maybe we can visit Kiyone and Mihoshi while we're there!" Sasami added hopefully.  
"I hope you girls have fun," Tenchi said. "Too bad I've got school, or I'd join you."  
Washu put her bowl down. "I can't go either. I've got to be working on the portal."  
Ryoko had an idea. "You know, why do we all have to go anyway, huh? It'll just cost more money, and it's not as if Kojiro and Musashi won't be able to find their way around town."  
Musashi shot her a look that meant, "What the heck are you doing?" but Ryoko just ignored it.  
"I don't really need to go into Okiyama," Takeshi voiced.  
"I have some stuff I can do too," Sasami added.  
Aeka knew she couldn't go into town with Musashi, not after what happened last night. "A princess always has something she can be busy with- I shall merely finish it early, I suppose."  
"I'm going with you," Ryoko said to the duo. "But once we get into town you're on your own. I've got a few things to do too."  
"Drink and party," Aeka muttered; Ryoko either didn't hear or decided to ignore it.  
"Now that that's settled," Tenchi began, standing up, "I'm off to class. See you this evening."  
"Bye Tenchi!" all the girls (except Musashi) said in unison.  
Tenchi blushed. "Right. Eh, bye."

"What was that all about?" Musashi snapped once she and Ryoko got back to their room. "Why did it suddenly have to be just me and Kojiro??"  
Ryoko sighed impatiently. "I thought you said you wanted a little privacy. Here's your chance to show Kojiro that you care- don't exactly declare your love, or anything- but let him know that he isn't just an attachment to you. That he's a human who you like. Get it now?"  
Musashi grinned. "Ryoko, I think I could get to liking you."  
"That makes two of us."  
Musashi grabbed Ryoko's brush and the clips Aeka had "given" her and began to pull her hair back into one long ponytail.   
"What happened to 'pony is dull'?" Ryoko wondered. She shrugged. "Oh well, I guess you'll be getting some of that spray stuff in town."  
"Actually," Musashi said, tying it up and brushing the long pony out, "I was thinking about getting some clips and things. I've had the same hairstyle for years and what better time than now to change it? Who knows? I may even get it trimmed a little."  
"'Cause of what Kojiro said yesterday?" Ryoko guessed.  
Musashi blushed, but made no comment.  
"You are head over heels for this guy," Ryoko laughed. "I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet."  
"There's two of me," Musashi explained, placing the brush down. She stood up and headed for the door. "We going or what?"  
"Right behind you," Ryoko said, following the Rocket out the door and downstairs.

Kojiro was already there, standing by the door in one of Tenchi's outfits and tapping his foot impatiently. Musashi could guess why he was a little sore. His lavender hair, which usually stayed out, was pulled back into a Tenchi-like tail.   
"What's with the new 'do?" Musashi asked, walking down the stairs with Ryoko flying close behind.  
"Well, after trying for hours to get my hair brushed with this cheap junky comb that Takeshi leant me, I finally gave up and asked Tenchi for one of his stupid ties. Do I look TOO much like a dork?"  
"No. It's kinda cute," Musashi consented.  
Ryoko's face turned red. "ARE YOU CALLING MY TENCHI A DORK?? IS THAT IT, PAL??"  
Kojiro shook his head. "J-just saying that I look like one, not 'your' Tenchi."  
"Yeah, that'd better be what you meant!" Ryoko turned her head and sniffed disdainfully. "And here I was, planning to give you a free ride into town..."  
"Ryoko, you know he didn't mean it," Musashi came to her partner's defense. "What kind of a free ride is it, anyway?"  
Ryoko grabbed both Kojiro and Musashi's hands. "Hold on, Kojiro. This is gonna feel a little weird."  
Blackness... then they were in a dimmed apartment building.  
Kojiro blinked several times. "That was just like that D-Space Travelling. What'd you do?"  
"Teleported you," Ryoko said simply. "We're in Mihoshi and Kiyone's apartment. Just go out that door and take a bus to Katomo Street. That's where all the good shops are. Have fun. I'm outta here."  
Kojiro closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them she was gone. "I wish she's stop doing that. One second she's here, the next she's not; she really oughta make up her mind."  
"Quit whining," Musashi growled, but checked herself fast. If she was EVER going to get through to Kojiro, she's have to stop snapping at him and be at least semi-decent. "Let's make sure we catch the next bus."  
Kojiro followed his partner out of the apartment, down a set of stairs and to the bus stop. Once again he found himself wondering how he could EVER like this _Akuma-fujo_, but it was useless trying to understand himself. Like he'd once told Nyaase: "Cupid's arrow strikes when you least expect it." How true it was!  
"You're kind of quiet," Musashi noted as they stepped onto the bus, paid the toll and sat down. "Something wrong?"  
Kojiro shook his head. "No, nothing." He looked around and realized suddenly that no one was paying any attention to them. The two were perfectly natural in this suburb- just a couple of teenagers going shopping. It was odd; he was so used to having people stare at his Rocket uniform...  
"It's weird," Musashi commented, "not to be noticed."  
But nice, Kojiro thought to himself. "Isn't this our stop?"  
"You two gettin' off or what?" the bus driver asked a bit impatiently. "You're holdin' up my crew."  
"Listen up, pops! You could try being a little more polite!" Musashi shot back.  
"Move it or lose it," he said, not in the least bit threatened by a couple of snappish brats. "Kids these days, always tryin' to stir up trouble."  
"TROUBLE?" Musashi's eyes flared. _"Nande kande-"_ Kojiro grabbed her arm and pulled her off the bus. The moment both feet were planted on dry land the door of the vehicle slammed shut and zoomed off.   
"What was the for? That jerk needed to be taught a lesson by the toughest criminals on Nomékop!" Musashi yelled at Kojiro.  
He took a step back. "Musa-chan, we're not ON Nomékop anymore, remember? We have to try to blend in. If someone sees a couple of kids with R's on their shirts spewing a motto and throwing out Pokéballs, they won't be scared of us- they'll ship us to an institution. You want to get commited your second day on Earth?"  
Musashi sighed. "Guess not." She looked up at the building in front of her and grinned. "Look at that mall! It's huge!"  
Even Kojiro had to agree. "This money's burning a hole in my pocket! Let's go!"  
The two dashed into the mall, immediately blending in with the other young adults shopping that day. After quickly counting their cash the duo realized that they had quite a bit of money known as "yen." Neither of the two knew exactly how much a yen was, but from the price tags in windows it seemed like they had plenty!  
"Hey Kojiro, what d'you think of this?"  
"It's perfect on you! Do you think this color makes me look like an idiot?"  
"Of course not! I bet it's really _ikasu_ here! How 'bout this?"  
"Great. You've always had good taste, though."  
"I could say the same about you."  
By the time they were done shopping the friends had gotten five outfits each- Musashi had also gotten a kimono that she had forbid Kojiro to see (a romantic surprise, she thought with a smile)- and some basic necessities. To Kojiro's surprise, hairspray had not been one of Musashi's items.  
Now, they sat at an outside table, enjoying the fall air and eating some Japanese delicacies.   
"That was nice," Musashi sighed happily, patting the bags at her side. "I can't remember the last time I had that much fun. It's been years since we've been shopping."  
"'Cause we're always broke... and always busy with the job," Kojiro remarked.   
Musashi smiled, sipping an American drink called Coca-Cola. "We need to do this again. I really had a good time with you, Kojiro. We should spend more time like this."  
Kojiro returned the smile. Musashi had been unusually nice to him today- he wondered if it was D-Space aftershock, or if she was just more relaxed without work. At any rate, he liked it. "Thanks, Musa-chan."  
Musashi's RDS- Romance Defense System- kicked in before she could stop it. "I mean, since shopping IS the only thing you're good at, we should do more of it so you can feel like you've got a LITTLE talent."  
"Oh. Right." Kojiro's smile dropped. He'd thought too soon- she was still Musashi, no matter where they were.  
Musashi cursed herself. She always did that! Everytime the two could have a small bit of bonding, what happened? Her stupid RDS took over! Musashi knew she could never apologize for that last comment- it just wasn't something she did- but she made up for it by offering to buy Kojiro something.   
"Well," Kojiro said sheepishly. "I DID see something that looked interesting..."

"A video game." Musashi drawled, looking at what Kojiro was pointing at. "You could have anything in this mall. And you picked a video game."  
"But Musashi!" Kojiro whined. "You didn't look at the title! It's called _'Musashi soshite Kojiro!'_ We must be celebrities!"  
Musashi grabbed the videogame, staring at the two figures on the cover. "I don't get it. There's two guys on the cover. When did I become a guy?"  
"It's cheaper if you rent it."  
The duo jumped, turning around. "Ryoko?? What are you doing here??"  
"I could ask the same of you," Ryoko said, grinning. "I've been looking all over the mall for you. What're you doing in a toy store?"  
Musashi pointed at her partner. "HE wanted to buy a videogame."  
"I noticed." Ryoko pushed past Musashi to see what Kojiro was holding. "Hm... _'Musashi soshite Kojiro.'_ Never heard of it, but it looks pretty old. Weird that it's got your names on it."  
"You mean you don't know either?" Kojiro asked. Ryoko shook her head. "Well, maybe Tenchi does, since he's lived on Earth all his life. You like video games, Ryoko?"  
She nodded. "Yeah, Tenchi's got a real sweet system that takes that game. But you must have known, or you wouldn't have thought about buying it. He's got this one game, it's a fighting thing called _'Uchuuryokou Hasha'_, and the characters look like me and Aeka... those guys on that game don't look much like you, though."  
"They're both men," Musashi grumbled.  
"Ah, who cares?" Ryoko asked rhetorically. "You gonna buy it or what? If you'd rather just play it I know of a place where you can rent games. It's cheaper, too, so if you don't like it you didn't waste your money."  
"It's not that expensive," Kojiro remarked. "I think I'll get it. And if it sucks, I can always return it, right?"  
Ryoko nodded. "So whatcha waitin' for? Go get it and let's go home! I haven't had anything to eat today 'cept some nachos and one glass of Sake."  
Musashi handed the money over to Kojiro, who went up to the counter and bought the game.  
"I hope Sasami doesn't get too mad that we spent some of the money on a game," Kojiro said, after they'd already left the store. "She did give us a lot of yen, and it was all she had..."  
"You kidding?" Ryoko laughed. "With a big spender like Aeka around the house, Sasami never gives us all the money. You're lucky if you got a quarter of the savings!"  
"Oh, that's good. I woulda felt kinda bad if I'd used almost ALL her money!"  
Ryoko rolled her eyes. "And you call yourselves criminals." The pirate had a thought. She threw her arms around Kojiro's neck. "You're kinda cute! I like a guy with a conscience!"  
Musashi flared red. What the heck was Ryoko doing with KOJIRO???  
It turned out she had nothing to worry about. With one arm around Kojiro's neck, she searched through his pocket until she found the remaining yen. "Here we go!"  
Kojiro, who by this time was thoroughly freaked and blushing deeply, sighed when he realized that all she wanted was money.  
Ryoko counted it quickly, then a smile spread across her face. "Just enough!" She stuffed the money into her bra immediately, saying quickly to the others, "I've got something I need to do. Go down to the _'Akuma's Hebun'_ and wait for me. I'll be by in a few minutes and then we'll go home, okay? Okay, buh-bye."  
POOF! She had disappeared in an instant, leaving the dazed pair to try to find the _"Akuma's Hebun."_

After nearly ten minutes of searching and asking directions, they finally reached the destination Ryoko had picked. Inside, already waiting for them, was Ryoko.  
Her cheeks slightly red, either from the heat of the room or from the alcohol in front of her, Ryoko seemed to be in an incredibly agreeable mood.  
"Hi there you guys! What took ya so long? Nevermind that, okay? Let's just go home," she took a swig of the bottle in from of her. "That's the stuff! Thanks for the money, this Sake sure is some of the best I ever had!"  
Kojiro raised an eyebrow. "What's Sake?"  
"Like beer," Musashi explained, "but stronger."  
Ryoko waved the bottle in front of them. "Ya want some, huh?"  
Musashi took a swig, encouraging Kojiro to try it too. After a bit of persuading, he did as she said.  
"Dang!" Kojiro exclaimed. "That's great!"  
"You'll get hooked too," Ryoko chuckled, she grabbed their hands. "Let's split, all right?"  
"Won't people wonder why three people just dis-" Musashi never finished. She was zapped into oblivion, then back in the Masaki living room.  
"Home sweet home!" Ryoko flung her arms wide, took another drink from her bottle, then teleported up to her room.   
"Well, at least she was sober enough to get us to the right place," Kojiro commented dryly.  
"Ryoko's not drunk," someone behind them remarked. "It takes a whole bottle of Sake to get THAT one buzzed. She's just a little tipsy. It'll pass in about an hour, I'd bet."  
It was Washu.  
"Shouldn't you be down in your lab working on that machine?" Musashi questioned. She was still a little angry at the scientist for calling her Fire Scalp and bashing her face in.  
"I can't spend all day down there, you know." Washu told them. "I gotta come up AT LEAST four times a day for food and stuff."  
"Whatever. My feet are killing me. I'm gonna take a bath before I unpack."  
"See you in a couple minutes!" Washu called as she went up the stairs.  
A couple minutes? Musashi thought to herself. Since when did bathing take a couple minutes?

Kojiro threw his stuff down on his bed. Takeshi was on the other side of the room, flipping through a Japanese magazine drearily.  
"What's your problem?" Kojiro wondered, unpacking his things.  
"Girls!" Takeshi wailed. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong! Everything I do just gets them to like me even less! I've tried Aeka, I just tried Ryoko, and I even tried Washu! Kiyone and Mihoshi came over for a while, and Mihoshi was the only one who would even look at me! Sasami likes me, but she's WAY too young! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IF I CAN'T EVEN GET A GIRL FROM ANOTHER PLANET?!"  
Kojiro stuffed the last of his clothes into a drawer and plopped down on the bed. "Why don't you ask Tenchi? He seems to know how to get the women."  
Takeshi's jolted upright. "Kojiro, you're a genius! I take back a quarter of the bad stuff I've said to you," and with that he dashed out of the door, headed for Tenchi's room.  
"Oo, a quarter. He must be starting to like me," Kojiro said sarcastically. He picked up the magazine Takeshi had been looking through, and to his surprise one from inside fell out. The cover read, in a language Kojiro couldn't read, "Playboy." Inside were pictures of scantily clad women, or women without clothes at all. Kojiro almost fell on the floor, laughing and wondering where Takeshi had found THAT junk.

Takeshi almost ran into Tenchi halfway down the hallway.  
"Oh! Hi, Takeshi."  
Takeshi dove to the floor, groveling at Tenchi's feet. "Oh Master Tenchi, ruler of the home I stay in: could you teach me your ways? I am but a humble servant, and-"  
"What?" Tenchi cut in. "What are you talking about? Teach you what ways?"  
"Your ways with women, of course!" Takeshi said matter-of-factly. "How can you draw them to you like that, while everything I do just makes them run off?" Takeshi grabbed on to his leg. "You have to tell me before I die alone and unloved!"  
Tenchi tried to shake the teen off. "I don't have any 'ways' Takeshi! And I never asked for them all to flock to me. I don't know anything about women- I don't do ANYTHING special for them. I'm myself."  
Takeshi looked up. "Yourself? I... I never thought of that. But- but... can I be sure that it works?"  
"How should I know?" Tenchi snapped. He sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, my dad's the one you should be asking. He's sort of a player, if you know what I mean-"  
"Is he the one who had the dirty magazines?" Takeshi interrupted.  
Tenchi sweat-dropped, but nodded.  
"That's my man! Where is he?"  
Just then the door slammed shut from downstairs. "Tenchi, I'm home!"  
"That's my father, Nobuyuki," Tenchi told Takeshi.  
Takeshi scrambled up from his position and zipped downstairs. In a moment Tenchi heard the D-Space Traveller exclaim. "Oh Master of the House, teach me all you know!"

Musashi sunk into the water so it that only her head was above it. "Ah, nothing like a steamy bath after a day of shopping."  
Dimly, she heard voices from outside the spa gradually get louder. It sounded like all the girls in the house were heading her way. Suddenly the door to the bath slid open, and in walked Washu, Ryoko, Aeka and Sasami, all in bath robes.  
"HEY!" Musashi yelled, grabbing the towel next to her and wrapping it quickly around herself. "I was here first! Wait for your own turn!"  
Sasami cocked her head. "Turn?"  
The three older women burst out laughing.  
"We don't have turns, girl!" Ryoko cackled. "It's all at once! What's wrong? It's perfectly natural here. Don't you have spas and group baths on Nomékop?"  
"No, we do NOT have group baths!" Musashi snapped. "And in spas we wear SWIMSUITS!"  
Washu sighed. "I guess you're planet become kind of Americanized, huh? That's what people in the U.S. do, too." She grinned. "First time for everything, right?"  
"Hold up! What if I'm not comfortable with that?" Musashi questioned.  
"You can leave," Ryoko said bluntly. "And wait till we're done." She leaned closer to Musashi. "What's the problem? Look, if you're worried about not looking good in front of us, don't worry about it. You couldn't be any worse than Aeka."  
Aeka turned bright red. "WHAT!? What was that you said about me Miss Ryoko?!"  
"You wouldn't be mad if it wasn't true," Ryoko snickered.   
"That. Is. IT!" Aeka shrieked, the small 'salt and pepper shakers' appearing around the bath. "You never stop your teasing Ryoko and now in front of company too. You need to be taught a lesson and I am here just for that!"  
"Catch me if you can!"  
Ryoko teleported around the springs; always one step ahead of Aeka.  
"Stop moving!"  
"Make me!"  
"You coward! Stand and fight!"  
"Just give up. I'm too quick for you Princess."  
Musashi watched as the blasts from Aeka drew closer and closer to she, Washu and Sasami. "Er, should we take cover or something?"  
"Good idea," Washu agreed. Instantly a golden shield surrounded the trio, keeping them out of harm's way. "Ready for the bath now?"  
It took a little coaxing, but before long the group of semi-peaceful bathers were relaxing happily to the sound of Ryoko's taunts and Aeka's shrills.

"So... they're in there?" Takeshi said, pointing to the spa door. Nobuyuki nodded. "And... if we open the door... we see nothing?" Another nod. Takeshi grabbed his hair. "WHAT KIND OF A PLANET IS THIS?!"  
"I don't believe this," Tenchi groaned, standing at the main door to the bathroom.   
Dimly they heard noises that sounded vaguely like explosions and obscenities.  
"They're probably fighting," Nobuyuki sighed.  
"Without any clothes on, too," Takeshi moaned.  
The two 'players' sank to the floor, heads down in despair.  
"Um... is this some kind of Japanese tradition?" Kojiro poked his head into the room. "Are we paying hommage to the porcelain god or something?"  
Nervous laughter from Tenchi. "Oh, _konichiwa_ Kojiro. No, my dad and Takeshi are... did you need something?"  
Kojiro held up the video game. "Yeah, I was wondering if you could explain this to me."  
Tenchi took the game. "_'Musashi soshite Kojiro.'_ That's sort of a funny coincidence!"  
"Do you know why they would call it that?"  
Tenchi thought for a moment. "Well, I think my grandpa told me a story about it once, but it was a long time ago. You'd better ask him when he gets home. He'd know a lot more than I would."  
"Oh. All right. By the way, do you know where Musashi is?"  
"Why don't you ask them?" Tenchi said dryly, jerking a thumb at Takeshi and Nobuyuki, who were now leaning against the door in hopes of picking up a conversation (the shouts had long since died down, and it was impossible to tell what was going on in there).  
"D'you think we could peek through the cracks in the wood?"  
"Tried it already."  
"Blast it."  
"Perverts," Tenchi and Kojiro muttered in unison.  
Just then the door of the spa slid open and a refreshed Ryoko, a wet and tired Aeka, and the remaining three ladies stepped out in their bath robes.  
Aeka looked down. "What?! Father- Takeshi... what are you doing!?"  
They giggled nervously. "Uh, we were just, er-"  
"Kojiro?" Musashi questioned. "You little freak."  
"Hey, I was just trying to find Tenchi!" he justified.  
Sasami grinned. "Tenchi! Are you starting to take after Father?"  
"Uh, I can explain-"  
Ryoko had her arms around him in an instant. "You know, Tenchi, my offer still stands. You're welcome in with us anytime."  
"Ugh, Ryoko get off!" Tenchi said irritably.  
"But it's only natural for me to want to be near you!"  
"You're impossible!"  
Musashi was beginning to understand why Ryoko was having so much trouble with Tenchi. He wasn't much of a party guy- which the pirate was- and didn't want to get drug into that sort of thing. "Ryoko, darling, do you think you can join me in our room? I have a few important things I wanna, ah, talk to you about."  
Ryoko was about to object, but saw the look in Musashi's eyes. "Right behind you Musa!"  
MUSA?? Ugh.  
Once the pair of schemers were safely in their room, Musashi turned to Ryoko and said: "You expect to get Tenchi like that!? Are you braindead or crazy!?"  
Sparks flew from Ryoko's hands. "Well I don't see YOU getting far with Kojiro either, so back off! I'll do it my way, and you'll see, Tenchi will be mine!"  
"The only reason I'm not getting far with," she lowered her voice, "him is because I can't get up enough nerve to say what I'm feeling. You, on the other hand, don't have much of a problem with that. But you're expressing them too wildly. Tenchi doesn't like that."  
"HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TENCHI LIKES!?" Ryoko hissed in a very loud whisper.  
"I don't. Yet. But in a couple weeks I will." She smirked. "I told you I understood guys, didn't I?" She paused in thought. "But while I'm doing that, you're gonna have to do something for me, all right?"  
"What's that?"  
"Find out if Kojiro's straight for not. There'd be no use trying to get together with him if he was gay. Can you do that?"  
Ryoko nodded. "Though, since he hasn't hit on Tenchi yet, I can make a pretty good guess that he's not a fruit. Tenchi's irresistable to everyone, you know."  
"Right," Musashi rolled her eyes. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Sasami said the food she'd put on to simmer was almost done. We'd better get dressed and get down to eat."

The sound of a high-pitched shriek made everyone in the Masaki residence jump.  
"AH! MONSTER! OH, LORD, WHAT IS IT!?" The voice was Aeka's.  
Ryoko, Musashi, Tenchi, Kojiro, and Takeshi all arrived on the scene at about the same time. Washu and Sasami were already there. They found Aeka up on the living room couch, skirt in hands and wailing to high heavens. Below her was a reddish, fox-like creature, looking up at her curiously.  
"Oh! Tenchi! Thank God! This- this- thing is trying to attack me!"  
The three D-Space Travellers stared at her a moment, then broke into helpless laughter.  
"That? A monster?" Musashi howled.  
"Hardly!" Kojiro chuckled.  
Takeshi tried to regain his composure. "That's one of my Pokémon. I let her out to get some exercise, since she's been cooped up in her Pokéball for so long. She's called a Vulpix." He pulled out a red-and-white sphere. "Vulpix, return." The animal turned into a gassy substance and disappeared into the ball.  
"Pokémon." Aeka repeated. "Isn't that the name of the animals that live on your planet?"  
Musashi nodded. "And you don't have to be afraid of them. They don't attack- unless we tell them to." She laughed again. "Really, I wasn't this freaked when I met Ryo-Ohki, and that's just as odd as any Pokémon... except maybe Jynx..."  
"Anyway," Kojiro interrupted. "It would be kind of weird for people to see Pokémon running around. Where are we supposed to stick them while we're here?"  
"I have the answer for that," Washu spoke up. She turned to each of them. "Could I please have those balls?"  
The boys blushed. The girls giggled.  
"The POKéballs," Washu emphasized.   
"Oh. Sure." The trio handed over their Pokémon to the scientist. "What are you gonna do to them?"  
"I'm going to make a dimensional habitat for them. But I'll need to study their brain waves to see what they would want most in a home." She turned one of the Pokéballs over in her hand. "And while I'm at it I'll check out these little beauties. Fitting a living creature into a tiny sphere... what an idea..." She walked off, still muttering to herself about how interesting the Pokéballs were.  
"Never saw anyone so amazed at something people on Nomékop made over 50 years ago," Takeshi commented. He shrugged, walked in to the kitchen, and soon returned with a dish of steaming rice and a dish of chicken in an oriental spice. "Who's hungry?"  
Everyone grabbed a bowl and some chopsticks and helped themselves. Even though Washu decided to skip the meal, Kiyone and Mihoshi had come over for the evening, and Nobuyuki and Katsuhito were joining them also, so the table was even more crowded than usual! Ryoko and Aeka fought for space next to Tenchi (Aeka won this time), so Ryoko ended up hovering just inches above Aeka's head (if only to piss her off); Kiyone and Mihoshi were crammed together at the far end, Musashi ended up next to Aeka and snapped at her every time she got touched her slightly; Takeshi found himself wedged between Mihoshi and Sasami- one moment he was flirting, the next talking sanely; the older men sat on the couch, knees to chest; Tenchi was constantly squished between Aeka and Kiyone; and Kojiro kept bumping elbows with Sasami because they ate with different hands.  
"Pass the steamed rice, please."  
"Get it yourself."  
"Be nice, Musa-chan!"  
"Oh, quiet Kojiro!"  
"Why don't you both shut up?"  
"SHOVE IT TAKESHI!"  
"Fine. So, Mihoshi, do you like the food?"  
"Yeah, Takeshi-chan, it's great!"  
"The sauce is my own recipe!"  
"Wow! Really?"  
"Yep! It's real nice having Takeshi in the kitchen with me!"  
"It's great!"  
"Kiyone, quit hogging the chicken!"  
"I'm not hogging it, Ryoko, I can't move it away from me because my arms are getting crushed!"  
"Oh! Sorry Sasami!"  
"That's all right Kojiro. It's not your fault I'm left-handed."  
"Ugh! Stupid Kojiro made me spill rice all over my jacket!"  
"I didn't do that, Takeshi! You did it yourself!"  
"Prove it!"  
"Takeshi why don't you quit whining?"  
"He's not whining, Ryoko, he's just telling Kojiro the facts."  
"Facts my butt! And could you PLEASE quit reaching over me, Aeka?! It's startin' to piss me off."  
"Everything angers YOU, Miss Musashi!"   
Kojiro winced as the last comment was said quite shrilly by the loud-spoken Aeka. He was tired of the voices, the elbows in the ribs, and the stinging comment. Quietly he stood up, bowl in hand, and walked out to the porch. Tenchi, noticing where the other teen was going, decided to follow suite and joined him outside. No one even saw them leave.   
"It's a lot quieter out here," Tenchi remarked, sitting next to Kojiro.   
He nodded. "It was almost better back home. At least then there were only three of us." He grinned. "Musashi's on cloud nine, though. She's not happy unless she has someone to argue with."  
"Ryoko's sort of like that, too," Tenchi said, smiling. "So, everything's been happening so fast I haven't had a chance to really talk to any of you. You said you were a thief, right? How was that?"   
Kojiro shrugged. "Better than living on the streets, I guess, but not by much." He took a bite of the Japanese delicacy. "It's been years since I had regular meals like this."   
"That was one thing Ryoko used to complain about, too," Tenchi said. "She was a space pirate, you know- still is I guess- so she's kind of on your level. It's funny, though, because neither you nor Musashi seem like the villain types."   
"We aren't," Kojiro sighed. "But we don't have a better option, you know?" He decided to change the subject. "And occasionally it's better than this insane atmosphere. Don't you get tired of it?"   
"Sometimes. But then I remember how boring it was without them. No, I wouldn't give the girls up for all the gold in China."   
"China? Uh, nevermind." Kojiro smirked slyly. "So, which one of 'em's your favorite?"   
"Favorite?!" Tenchi blushed. "I guess I never thought about it!"   
"Oh please! You've known them for what? Years? And they- at least, Aeka and Ryoko- obviously have the hots for you- and you've NEVER considered which one you like best? This is one wacked up planet you live on."   
"I guess I like them all about the same," Tenchi finally answered.  
"Even Ryoko and Aeka?" Kojiro pried. "They seemed like maybe a little bit more than friends."  
Tenchi blushed. "Well, I like THEM the same, too. Ryoko's a handful, but she understands me- we've always had a sort of bond, I guess... if only she'd get the clue that I don't want the same type of relationship she does."  
"Which would be...?"  
"The illegal on 25 planets kind."  
"Oh. And Aeka?"  
"She's nice, and a bit more subtle than Ryoko, but there's something about that proper everything-perfect atmosphere that I've never been in to. And Aeka's crawling with that attitude." Tenchi grinned. "Why? Are you looking for a girlfriend and wanted to find out who was taken?"  
Kojiro blushed, shaking his head. "Naw, I was just curious. And you never REALLY answered. You know you can't just not-date them all forever. Eventually they'll get tired of it."   
Tenchi looked back into the house. "It looks like everyone's finally settled down. A couple of the girls have finished up and cleared the table away. Want to go back in?"   
"Yeah. I'm done anyway." Kojiro wondered why Tenchi hadn't answered his question, but decided not to keep bugging him. Not tonight, anyway.   
The girls actually noticed when the duo came back in.   
"Tenchi! There you are!" Aeka said thankfully. "I was worried that..."   
"That what? Kojiro stole him?" Musashi taunted. "We couldn't even catch a yellow RAT!"   
"You be quiet! You may be a guest, but you're still a crook, and I'm still the Princess of Jurai!"  
"As if we haven't heard that enough times," Ryoko muttered.   
"I'm gonna clean this off in the kitchen," Kojiro said to no one in particular, and took his empty bowl into the equally empty kitchen. Musashi and Ryoko exchanged looks, and within moments Ryoko too had finished her meal; she followed Kojiro into the kitchen.   
"So. Kojiro." Ryoko began, unsure of how to start this.   
"Ryoko."   
Being the straight-forward pirate that she was, Ryoko said the first thing that popped into her head. "Were you hitting on Tenchi out there?"  
Kojiro stared at her for a second. "What kind of oroka question is that?!"   
"Just wondering. You seemed pretty friendly towards him, and since it's obvious you aren't staight..."  
"WHAT?!" Kojiro squealed, almost surpassing Aeka in shrillness- almost.   
"...Bisexual, whichever..."  
"How dare you! Of course I'm straight! And even if I was bi I would never hit on Tenchi because, because-" he stopped, wondering how he was going to finish this one.   
"Because there's someone else?" Ryoko asked suddenly. Maybe Kojiro returned Musashi's feelings!  
"No... just, just 'cause... I know you and Aeka would kill me, is all." He looked down, knowing it was lame but feeling it was the best excuse he had.   
"Mm-hm, sure," the pirate leaned in close to the Rocket. "So who is it? Someone you just met here? Someone still on Nomékop? Or, perhaps, an old friend and partner...?"   
Kojiro threw an old dishrag at Ryoko's face. "Your turn. I think I'm gonna hit the sack- it's been a long day."   
"Yeah. Whatever," Ryoko growled from behind the towel. As he walked out, she added under her breath. "Ya big fat liar."

Kojiro had just reached the stairs when Tenchi called him back over.  
"Kojiro! Grandpa says he knows something about the videogame, if you wanted to hear it!"  
The Rocket did a back-track, taking a seat on the floor between Tenchi and Aeka. "Oh, okay, sounds good." He jostled Aeka a little when he sat down. "Sorry."  
"Humph," was all she said in reply.  
There was a definite tension between Musashi and Aeka, and Kojiro wondered if maybe a fight had erupted while he'd been in the kitchen. He didn't have time to wonder about it, though, because Katsuhito addressed him:  
_"Musashi soshite Kojiro_, eh?" he asked, leaning back into a more comfortable position. "Mm-hm, there's quite a legend behind those two. In fact, when I first heard that was your names I thought it to be an interesting coincidence... or fate."  
"Fate?" Musashi queried eagerly. "This sounds good."  
"Is it scary 'cause I don't like scary stories," Mihoshi shuddered.  
"Stay close to me," Takeshi told her, grinning a cat-like smile.  
Katsuhito chuckled. "No, not scary at all." He took a moment to build tension and clean off his glasses, giving Ryoko enough time to float and squeeze in between Kojiro and Tenchi. "Musashi and Kojiro were two Samurai warriors, the best of their time. Musashi was the greatest, and Kojiro was his rival."  
"HIS?" Musashi growled irritantly.  
"Back then there were few women warriors," Katsuhito explained. "You must remember this happened a very long time ago." Another short pause, then, "Now, where was I? Ah, yes... Musashi and Kojiro fought each other constantly. And, eventually, Musashi killed Kojiro in a fierce fight." Kojiro whimpered quietly. "Afterwards, the samurai regretted his decision, because now he had no one worthy to go up against."  
Blinking of eyes.  
"That's it?" Sasami wondered. "Kinda short, doncha think?"  
Katsuhito nodded. "It is a very old legend and many of the details have been lost through the years."  
Musashi snorted. "It's only a story, anyway. What makes you say it's fate?"  
"No reason. That story really has nothing to do with why it may be destiny."  
"Quit talking in rhymes!" Ryoko snapped. She checked herself immediately, remembering that Lord Katsuhito was also a powerful Juraiian warrior. "Um, honorable father, do you suppose you could explain yourself?"  
"In China, not too far away from here," he added for their D-Space friends. "Kojiro was the master of love" (Kojiro pulled down an eyelid at the 'love god' Takeshi) "and Masashi was his wife."  
"MA-sashi?" Aeka yelped, nearly dropping her cup of tea. "My, what a coincidence!"  
Mihoshi sipped her own cup for a while. With a jolt, her head snapped up. "Hey! Masashi sounds just like Musashi almost! That's really weird, you know?"  
Ryoko elbowed Kojiro, cackling wickedly. "Heheh, wadda ya know? Good stuff, huh?" He blushed violently, looking down at hs lap. Ryoko turned to Katsuhito. "Now, honorable father, tell us the story about the beautiful girl Ryoko who won King Tenchi and saved him from the wicked witch Aeka!"  
"RYOKO YOU MADE THAT UP AND YOU KNOW IT!"  
Kojiro decided this was a good time to make his escape upstairs. He quietly slipped away, not letting anybody see him this time. After the fight between Ryoko and Aeka broke up a little, Musashi signaled to her partner in love-crime and the duo also made their way up the steps, leaving the others to their own devices.

"Hey Kojiro."  
"Oh, hi Musashi. What's up?"  
"Oh, not much." She took a seat on his bed. "You and Tenchi seem to be getting along pretty well."  
Kojiro slapped his forehead. "Am I gonna be interrogated all night? First Ryoko, now you... for the love of God, I'm not gay!"  
"I know that," Musashi sighed in relief. Ryoko had told her about their conversation, but Musashi had to hear for herself. "I just wondered what you were talking about."  
"Girls." Kojiro answered hotly. "And what chicks look best in bathing suits."  
Musashi couldn't help but laughing at him. "I believe you when you say you aren't gay." She poked him teasingly. "And everyone knows you look the best in a bathing suit- a girl's or guy's."  
"Shut up, I was drunk and you know it!" Kojiro tried to sound angry, but it came out like a pouting kid. "You and Nyaase could've talked me into going out there naked!"  
"Still, we did give Kasumi a scare..."  
"And Takeshi actually thought I was a girl for a while!"  
They snickered evilly at the memory.  
"See, Rocket Dan isn't all bad," Musashi told him. "We had fun... sometimes."  
"Guess so."  
Musashi leaned against his shoulder. Neither of them considered it a real gesture of affection- they were used to being close to the other. "So, back to the subject at hand... what WERE you talking about with Tenchi?"  
"Girls." Kojiro said again. "Seriously. I asked him which one of the girls he liked best."  
"And?"  
"And why should you care?" Kojiro countered. "Maybe it was a man-to-man talk, and I'm sworn to secrecy."  
"But it wasn't. I'm naturally nosy, just like you. So what'd he say? C'mon, I can keep it secret!" Musashi leaned in closer so that her face was inches from his and her chest touching his, trying to use Ryoko's tactic of subtly seducing her partner. She'd done it a few times before, and it usually got results.  
He blushed, leaning back. "He said that Ryoko understood him well and they'd always had a sort of bond, but he wasn't into her, eh, 'illegal on 25 planets' relationship idea."  
The wheels in Musashi's head were turning. So Tenchi didn't like the wild, sexy tactic; just like she'd thought. "Did you guys talk about much else?"  
"He asked me about Rocket Dan and how the thieving business was-" Kojiro was cut off, because the door to his room opened and in stepped Takeshi. He looked at the pair, VERY close together.  
"Oh, wow, I'm... geez, I didn't know you were... geez, I'll just... Mihoshi wanted to talk so I'll... oh man, this is awkward..."  
"It's not what it looks like, Takeshi!" Kojiro squealed, jumping up and blushing like crazy. "We were just talking, I swear!"  
"Talk... right... yeah, that's what I'll tell them... when they ask why I came back down... I'll say I didn't want to disturb the talking duo... yeah, okay..."  
"Get a grip, twerp!" Musashi snapped, frying pan held out menacingly. "When we say we were talking we WERE talking, and nothing more!" She pointed a finger at Kojiro. "Do you really think I would do ANYTHING with that moron? Be honest, it could mean your life."  
Takeshi sweat-dropped. "Talk, that's all, of course. Gotcha." He moved towards his drawer. "Sasami wanted to see my, um, my recipe book... she wants to try some of them. Are you coming back down after you finish 'talking,'? Because I've heard 'talking' can be exhausting. Should I knock before I go to bed, to make sure you aren't 'talking' anymore?"  
Anger veins were popping out on both teen's heads, and at the same time they were blushing bright red. "GET OUT!"  
Takeshi dashed out the door, followed closely by a rolling pin, a mallet, a frying pan, and two pairs of slippers.

"What'd you find out?" Ryoko questioned later that night as she and Musashi dined on Sake and some chocolate they'd found in the fridge.  
"Tenchi doesn't like that seductive, illegal on most planets stuff that you try to pull. At least, he won't like it 'till you have a set relationship, which probably means marriage," Musashi told her.  
Ryoko cursed under her breath.  
They paused for a moment to pour another glass of their favorite liquid. Ryoko sipped hers, eyeing Musashi over the lid. "Word from Takeshi says you and your partner were getting pretty intimate in Kojiro's room."  
Musashi spit the Sake out. "He said that!?"  
Ryoko nodded, a smirk pasted on her face. "And here you said you couldn't show him your true feelings."  
"We weren't doing anything!" Musashi barely managed to keep her voice down. "I was talking to him, is all. Takeshi just happened to come in at the wrong time." She sighed. "I wish I COULD show my feelings, the way you do. I had so many opportunities today, too, and I blew it. Like always."  
"Hey, no need to worry!" Ryoko assured her. "Just take your lessons from the master. So, are we ready to begin step two?"  
"...Not yet," Musashi said after a pause. "I'm still not totally convinced about Kojiro. About, you know-"  
"You wanna make absolutely sure he swings your way?"  
Ryoko finished. "No problem. I can take care of that. But it may take a few days."  
"We do nothing until that's taken care of," Musashi decided. "You don't get any farther with Tenchi 'til I get farther with Kojiro."  
Ryoko pouted for a couple minutes, then sighed. "Oh, fine. I'm darn lucky to have you helping me anyway, so I guess I'll cooperate."  
"Glad to see you planning ahead. Now, what exactly is your plan for Kojiro...?"

"Hi, um, Kojiro," Takeshi said, blushing as he walked into the room.  
"What is your problem?" Kojiro questioned. "How many times do we have to tell you that absolutely nothing was going on?"  
"How many times are you going to lie to me?"  
Kojiro groaned. "Why don't you just go back downstairs to your lover-ditz Mihoshi? Then you can do whatever you think Musashi and I were doing."  
"I, er... we want to take it slow. We only met yesterday, you know, and I figure we shouldn't even kiss until the official date..."  
"Got turned down?"  
"Chickened out," he confessed. "I never even asked her out."  
"Moron. And you wonder why you're womenless," Kojiro muttered, leaning over and turning off his lamp.  
There was a tense pause in the dark, then Takeshi spoke: "Kojiro? Can you tell me what your secrets are? How do I get girls like you got Musashi?"  
"Takeshi?"  
"Uh-huh?"  
"SHUT UP."

**To Be Continued...**

Musashi: Ryoko, what the heck are you doing hanging on to Kojiro like that?  
Ryoko: Well, you wanted me to find out if he was straight or not... if I can't seduce him then no one can!  
Washu: You can't seduce Tenchi, so why should you be able to get Kojiro?  
Kojiro: For the last time, I'm not GAY!  
Aeka: Is anyone ever going to tell me what's going on around this house? I've been in the dark for weeks, it seems.  
Tenchi: You aren't the only one.  
Sasami: Isn't it obvious? Ryoko and Musashi are planning to get their men!  
Aeka: WHAT? I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!  
Mihoshi: That's so sweet! Now, if only Takeshi would ask me on a date...  
Kiyone: Coming up on the next episode of the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for Houseguests!  
Takeshi: It's unquestionably scandelous!

  
[Episode Three: No Need for Houseguests][7]

[PokéMuyo!  
][8][Back to the Rocket Corner!][9]

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	3. Episode Three: No Need for Houseguests

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Episode Three

Episode Three:  
  
No Need for Houseguests  


"Ryoko! Ryoko, dang it, get up!"   
The space pirate opened one eye, finding herself- not unlike Kojiro had been only a week ago- being shaken awake by Musashi. She shoved Musashi away, practically knocking her into the wall.   
"What do you want?" she growled, rolling over. "I make it a point never to wake up before 10 o'clock, got it?"   
"This is important!" Musashi snapped right back. "Since you're making no progress on finding out about Kojiro, I've taken the liberty of giving you a little help in the meantime."  
"Help? With Tenchi?" Ryoko was up in a second, slipping on her favorite casual dress. "Tell me the whole thing."  
Musashi, dressing while she spoke, explained her plan to her roommate. "Tenchi likes hard-workers, correct? People who earn their keep, instead of mooching off of others. Am I right, or am I right?"  
Ryoko nodded. "Funny. You've only known him a week and it's like you've known him for years."  
"I told you, I have a thing with guys..." a pause as the Rocket dug out a couple of clips to stick her hair up in a simple pony. "At any rate, if he likes working women, we'll give him a working woman. Today, we're going in to town and getting jobs- you, me, and Kojiro."  
"Jobs?" Ryoko made a face. "Why do we all have to get one?"  
"Because I can't stand another day stuck around this house with Miss Priss." Musashi pinched her nose and did a remarkably good impression of Aeka. "Oh dear, Musashi, don't you remember that today YOU were supposed to dust? Really, but what should I expect of a common crook?" She resumed her own personality. "I can't fly off like you. Besides, I want to make sure you don't screw up at the job."  
"And Kojiro's coming why...?"  
"Because if anyone knows how to screw up, it's him, and you can take pointers on what NOT to do from him," Musashi sighed. "That's what I'll tell Kojiro if he asks, anyway. The real reason being of course that I like having him around. We work better as a team."  
"It's so romantic I can hardly stand it," Ryoko said sarcastically. She turned around to find a pair of slippers.  
Musashi made as if to smack her over the head, but stopped short. "Aheh. Just don't forget that you still have a job to do for me- you said you had a way to find out, so use your way and hurry up!"

"Oh hi Musashi, Ryoko, Kojiro! You're up early!"  
"Up with the sun, Sasami, that's always been my rule," Ryoko said groggily. "Got anything out to eat yet?"  
The eleven year-old shook her head. "No one else but me and Takeshi are up yet. The miso soup is ready, though, and if you wait about ten minutes the steamed rice'll be all prepared too."  
Musashi checked her watch. "Yeah, I guess we can wait. So no one else is up yet?"  
"Only us," Takeshi replied, stirring the soup a few times. He took a taste. "Mm, I gotta give the Japanese credit on some great recipes."  
"Well, Nomékop has a great selection too," Sasami told him, smiling.  
"Flirting with kids, eh Takeshi?" Kojiro taunted as the younger girl walked across the kitchen. "A little screwy, but she's cute in a little-kid way..."  
"Shut up," Takeshi snapped. "Can't I have a soul mate and not want her as a girlfriend?"  
"Right, that's Mihoshi's position."  
"Exactly."  
Kojiro looked around to share a dirty little joke with Musashi, but found both she and Ryoko had disappeared.  
"They went into the living room," Sasami said as if reading his thoughts. "I'll bring the food out when I'm done."  
Kojiro slid open the kitchen door and found Musashi, Ryoko and Tenchi sitting around the table, the television playing a morning show.  
"...Ryoko? A job? That's a first," Tenchi was saying. "I'm proud of you. But what brought about the change?"  
Ryoko had planned this out already. "I just realized that I don't have any money of my own! And since Sasami keeps what we have under lock and key, I thought it'd be nice to have a little for myself. Besides, I've been slacking off for too long. I need to pay my stay, if you know what I mean."  
"That's great," Tenchi agreed. "I didn't know you were the working type!"  
"First time for everything!"  
"Interesting type of flirting, but it works," Kojiro commented, taking a seat at the far end of the table, next to Musashi. He stretched lazily, hitting Musashi in the head in the process. "I still don't see why I have to come on this working adventure, if all I'm supposed to do is screw up."  
"Quit whining!" Musashi said sharply. "And watch where your stetching next time!"  
"Give me a good answer and I will!" Kojiro shot back.  
"You're too stupid to understand a good answer anyway!" Musashi countered.  
Tenchi sweat-dropped. "They aren't morning people, I guess."  
"They do this a lot," Ryoko explained. "Just when you aren't here." She started to slide her arm slowly around Tenchi's shoulder. He stiffened. "Tenchi..."  
WACK! Kojiro was hit hard with a paper fan. He yelped, falling backwards and putting a hand to his red cheek. "Ow! That hurt!"  
"You should have shut up while you had the chance!"  
Tenchi chuckled. "They say you only hurt the one you love."  
Ryoko's arm slid all the way around until it was on Tenchi's other shoulder. "Tenchi..."  
"LOVE?!" both Musashi and Kojiro spat. They looked at each other, than away.  
"Why would I ever want to love that TYRANT/WUSS!?" they said in unison.  
Ryoko sighed. Not only were they ruining a moment with Tenchi, but she was starting to understand what Musashi meant by "two of her."  
Just then, Sasami walked into the living room with a tray filled with soup, rice and drinks. "Breakfast is served!"  
'Thank God,' Tenchi thought to himself, scooting away from Ryoko and grabbing a bowl and chopsticks.  
"Hurry up and eat, LADIES," Musashi said, shooting Kojiro a look. "We have to get to town before rush hour and get to work."  
Ryoko looked up. "You mean you've already got us a job?"  
"Sure do," Musashi tossed her hair. "Like always, I'm the one thinking ahead."  
The other four (including Sasami) rolled their eyes, digging in to their meal.  
"Good morning Tenchi! As usual, I am the first up and ready to wish you a-" Aeka stopped short, looking at the other early risers. "Oh, my. Ryoko, you're up rather early. I suppose your hangover wasn't as bad as usual."  
Ryoko bared her teeth. "All I've got now is a headache from seeing YOU!"  
"It just so happens," Musashi jumped in airily, "that Ryoko, Kojiro and I are going in to town to work. You know what work is, don't you Princess? That thing where you do something challenging to earn money?"  
Anger veins were popping out all over Aeka's face. She opened her mouth to yell something, but stopped. The princess put a hand to the side of her mouth and laughed obnoxiously. "Ahahahahahaha! Oh, really, you are quite funny, you know that? Of course I know what work is! It's something I am very used to doing, and something that makes YOU vomit!"  
Kojiro stuck his fingers in his ears. "Could you laugh any louder? I don't think Nibi City can hear you."  
"It's true, though," Tenchi told her. "They're going into town in a few minutes."  
Musashi once again glanced at her watch. "Ach! We're gonna be late! Aeka, darling, do you think you could wash off the working one's dishes? Ryoko, we'll need you to teleport us there."  
"Where we going?" Ryoko asked, standing up and popping her knuckles.  
"Oh, one of those foreign fast food joints... Pizza Hut, or something," Musashi remembered. "You know where it is?"  
"Sure do." Ryoko grabbed Musashi and Kojiro's hands. "I'll teleport us to a back alley. No one ought to see us, then. Hang on."  
A shimmer, and they were gone.  
"Nice to see Ryoko working," Tenchi said, smiling in a way that seemed a little more than a friendly.  
"For once!" Aeka sniffed, taking the dishes of the three workers. "But I see her manners around the house haven't changed. Oh dear. Now I'll have double duty during chores..."

"So, you're my new employees," the manager of the restaurant looked the trio up and down. "All right, you're young and energetic, just what I need."  
"Yes sir!" Musashi and Kojiro said, deciding to treat their new boss like they would Sakaki.   
He raised an eyebrow. "Right... okay, you"(pointed to Kojiro) "and you"(Musashi)"serve the tables. I'll need you up and about, and always cheerful. Can you do that?"  
"Yes sir!" Musashi exclaimed.  
"Cheerfulness is my middle name!" Kojiro added. "Well, actually it's Otsuri..."  
"At any rate," their manager cut in. He jerked a thumb at Ryoko. "You'll be on delivery. Do you have your own car?"  
"Um... you could say that," Ryoko said carefully. She smiled and gave him the classic "victory" sign. "Just leave it to us! Whne it comes to getting the job done, I won't quit 'til it's finished!"  
"Good to know. Now get to work." He started to walk off. "Musashi and I have already discussed hours. Everyday but weekends and holidays, from 11-5 . Is that right?"  
Musashi nodded. "Yes, sir!"  
"Can you say anything else?"  
"Yes, sir!"  
"Ooookay. Good luck. I'll be around if you need help... or reprimanding." The older man walked off, leaving the trio of criminals by themselves.  
Musashi sighed, smoothing down her new uniform. Red shirt, blue jean skirt... plain, but it worked. "All right. We know what to do, so let's do this and get ourselves some money. And remember-tips and sucking up mean everything. Oh, and Ryoko? Try not to materialize right in front of someone. It's not usually a good thing."  
"Who died and made you Empress?" Ryoko grumbled, but took her position in the back to wait for a call-in. "And can I ask you a question, Musa?"  
Musashi grimaced. She HATED that nickname. "What is it?"  
"Why did you make me get up at 7 o'clock when our stupid shift didn't even start until 11? We spent over three hours wandering through town waiting for something to open up!"  
"It looked better for a certain someone who shall not be discussed while in male company," Musashi said, glancing at Kojiro, who seemed to be spacing off. "Though, I don't know if he counts."  
Ryoko nodded understandingly, jumping when the phone began to ring. It was obvious that that 'certain someone' was Tenchi.

Ryoko stretched, staring out the window of her room onto the sunlit lake in front of the Masaki house. It had been nearly a month since Rocket Dan and Takeshi had arrived to their home, and she had gotten nowhere with Tenchi. The space pirate sighed. Musashi wasn't going to help her until she found out about Kojiro... Ryoko's head hit the glass. She couldn't seem to get a moment alone with him anymore- either they were working or around other people.  
"Uh..." she clenched her fists and cried to the sky. "At this rate Musashi'll be gone before I even get a date with Tenchi!" She sighed, head once again tapping the glass. "At least there's one good thing about today. It's a weekend, and that means no work." Ryoko closed her eyes, letting the sun seep in through the glass and on to her face. She peeked through one, just to see Kojiro walking out by the lake BY HIMSELF.  
"Bingo," she chuckled, teleporting out of the room and down to where he had just disappeared in to the woods.

"Hi Kojiro-chan," Ryoko said, floating next to him. "Whatcha doin'?"  
"Trying to escape the Wrath of Musashi," he grumbled. "You?"  
"Oh, poor little Kojiro-chan," Ryoko said sweetly. "It must be terrible, having to live with that one everyday. I mean, she's my friend and all, but day in and day out... and being in love with her to boot... tch, well, I feel your pain."  
"Can't people stop saying that about us?" Kojiro snapped. "Isn't it possible to have a female best friend and not have something going on?"  
"Of course it is, sweetheart," Ryoko told him. Her feet now touching the ground, Ryoko stepped in front of him and put her hands around his shoulders. "And since you aren't interested in that one, maybe you'd like to try your luck with me, hm?"  
Kojiro blushed and took a step back. "Now, hold on Ryoko-"  
"Don't worry, Kojiro, I know you're tender, so I'll be extra gentle," she cooed, arms now around his neck and lips only inches from his.  
"Hey! We barely know each other! Are you saying-"  
"No! Of course not!" she grinned. "But what's a little kiss or two between friends? Especially if there's no one else?"  
"Tenchi?"  
"Oh! Him! As the saying goes, what he doesn't know won't hurt him." She winked.  
Kojiro was about to turn tail and run, but realized suddenly that Ryoko was kind of cute. He knew he'd never love her like he loved Musashi, but THAT love seemed hopeless.   
'What the heck,' he thought. 'A little romantic fling never hurt anyone. And it won't get far, anyway.'  
"All right, Ryoko-chan," Kojiro shrugged. "If you want..."  
Ryoko smiled inside. Kojiro swung her way; he'd swing Musashi's. "Haha! Late April fools! I really got you, didn't I?"  
He blinked a few times. "You-you WHAT?"  
"It was fun. I oughta tease you like that more often," she flew up above his head. "Bye now!" And the pirate was gone.  
Kojiro kicked a rock angrily. "I will never understand women!"

"Okay Sasami, what's on the menu for lunch?" Takeshi asked, tying his pink apron on.  
"Nothing special today. Just some rice balls," she explained, sticking a recipe paper in his face.  
Takeshi looked it over. His eyes widened (as much as they could). "Hey! These are just like the donuts back home!"  
Sasami raised an eyebrow. "Donuts?"  
He nodded. "They're one of my specialties! You just take the afternoon off, Sasami! Leave this meal to me!"  
Sasami took his advice, glad to have a little time away for once. She giggled as she went out. _Donuts??_

"Bon appetite!" Takeshi said regally, displaying the tray of rice balls to the rest of the family. "My own special recipe!"   
Mihoshi took one and bit into it. She smiled wide. "Wow! Takeshi, these are great! I've never had rice balls this good!!"  
Musashi and Kojiro exchanged looks. "Don't you mean donuts?"  
"Pardon?" Aeka looked at them strangely. "Donuts?"  
Katsuhito, who had joined them today, chuckled. "You have a very strange planet. Here, we call these rice balls."  
"Yeah, donuts are those circle thingies with holes in the middle... um, it's kinda hard to explain, but they're really pretty good and they come in a whole bunch of flavors," Mihoshi told Takeshi. "We should go in to town and I could show you some and we could buy a few."  
"Sounds good," Takeshi said, blushing. "When do you want to do it?"  
"Um... I'm free Monday afternoon, aren't I Kiyone?"  
Kiyone nodded. "You're free almost everyday, Mihoshi. Since we got those promotions, we hardly have to work odd jobs anymore."  
"Right. Then, Monday?" Takeshi concluded.  
"It's a date!" Mihoshi agreed. She looked at her watch. "Kiyone! What time were we supposed to check in at headquarters?"  
Kiyone glanced at her own watch. "Oh my God! Mihoshi, we're gonna be late!" She grabbed her partner's hand and dragged her out of the house. "See you all later!"  
"Bye Takeshi-chan!"  
The door closed behind them.  
"They come and go a lot, huh?" Ryoko commented, biting a chunk out of the rice delicacy and spraying crumbs on Kojiro and Sasami. Kojiro, who was still peeved about that afternoon, shot her a look and scooted away.  
"W-wow..." All eyes turned to the speaker.  
Takeshi had turned a brilliant bright red. His hands were clasped tightly in front of him, and he shook all over.  
"Takeshi? Are you sick or something?" Sasami asked.  
He made an odd sound in his throat, then shouted to the sky: "I JUST GOT ASKED OUT ON A DATE!!!"

"Little Washu? Are you in here?"  
Washu looked up from where she was sitting, working on a machine. "What's up, Tenchi?"  
"I brought you some lunch. You haven't come out in a while and I thought you might be hungry," he held out the rice ball and cup of tea for her.   
"Thanks, Tenchi! You're a sweetie!"  
He blushed. "So, how's the D-Space reversal machine coming?"  
She crunched down her food in two bites, then gulped the cup of tea. "Not too good, I gotta say."  
"What's wrong with it?"  
She laughed nervously. "Well, the first machine took a lot of expensive parts- some of them are nearly impossible to find. And what's worse, I can't make a back machine without those parts. Now, if I was still the leader of the Science Academy, I wouldn't have any problem," she blushed slighty, "buuut I'm not anymore, so I've only got one of each of the parts!"  
Tenchi could see where this was going. "Which means?"  
"To put it simply: I have to unassemble the first machine, THEN build a totally new one that goes to their planet instead of ours! Plus, I have to get it so that they land within moderate distance of where they were when we picked them up- it would seem kinda strange to drop 'em on the other side of the planet- which means I have to pinpoint an exact location. That could take weeks!"  
"Sounds tough," Tenchi sympathized, only half understanding. "How far are you now?"  
"I've almost got the first machine all taken apart. All I have to do are find the correct parts, hook 'em up, pinpoint a location, and find a way to get those three to want to go back. No problem, right?" she said sarcastically.  
"Get them to want to go back home? What do you mean?"  
"Isn't obvious?" Washu asked rhetorically. "They're having a good time here. Takeshi and Mihoshi are absolutely smitten with each other, Ryoko and Musashi are thick as thieves- no pun intended- and Kojiro is getting along with most everyone! You've heard the Rockets complain about how bad their job was at home, and Takeshi talks about how the girls never treated him this nicely. Wouldn't YOU prefer to stay on a planet where no one cares about your pasts, where pirates and police are friends, and you've got freedom to pretty much do whatever you want?"  
Tenchi nodded. "I see what you mean. But how did you know all of this? You're down here most of the time."  
"I'm pretty observant, ya know," Washu replied easily, "it's what makes me such a genius."  
"So, how ARE we going to get them to want to go back home?"  
Washu slid back underneath the pile of wires and equipment. "We'll worry about THAT when the time comes. You better go back upstairs- Ryoko and Aeka'll start missing you."

"Tell me something, Musashi," Ryoko said, sinking down under the spa water. They were the only two there at the moment, and enjoying the bit of peace they had. "Do you think we're going to be able to pull this off by ourselves? I mean, getting me some private time with Tenchi won't be easy, what with Aeka always hanging around."  
"You've got a point," Musashi remarked. "I have a great plan, but I don't think I can do it alone." She put a finger to her cheek in thought. "Who can we trust...? You know them better than I do- what's what around here?"  
"NOT Mihoshi," Ryoko said immediately. "She'd blab to everyone. And Aeka, for obvious reasons."  
"Well, doi."  
Another thoughtful pause. "Kiyone can keep a secret, and I bet she'd help out. Sasami would, too, even if she is Aeka's sister."   
"Uh-huh," Musashi nodded. "How 'bout Washu? We could use some of her scientific know-how."  
"I think she'd be okay, if we can pull her away from her work for a while." Ryoko glanced at Musashi. "What sort of plan to you have up your sleeve, anyway?"  
Musashi leaned over to whisper something to Ryoko, when the door to the hot tub came open.  
"Hi! Hope you don't mind us!" It was Mihoshi.  
Kiyone stepped in behind her. "We just got back from headquarters, and Tenchi offered to let us eat here. We're totally wiped out. Is it all right if we take a bath?"  
Ryoko waved a hand. "Be my guest. I was just about done, anyway."  
The pirate elbowed Musashi. "Ah, me too! Sorry to bathe and run, but you know how it is."  
They grabbed their towels and robes and headed back to their own room. Once the door was safely closed behind them, Musashi snickered.  
"Let operation: Date, begin."

**To Be Continued...**

Ryoko: Tenchi, isn't this wonderful? I wish we could stay like this forever. Just you, me, and the stars above us.  
Tenchi: It's great, Ryoko. I've enjoyed every second of our time together.  
Aeka: Oh my goodness! Can this be true?  
Washu: Hearts will be broken and bonds will be made! It's a regular daytime soap!  
Sasami: Next up in the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for Love!  
Kiyone: It's unquestionably romantic!

  
[Episode Four: No Need for Love][7]

[PokéMuyo!  
][8][Back to the Rocket Corner!][9]

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	4. Episode Four: No Need for Love

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Episode Four

Episode Four:  
  
No Need for Love 

Ryoko pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She clipped two golden earrings onto her ears, and the silver chain Tenchi got her two Christmases ago was strung around her neck. She wore a semi-tight black dress, with blue trim around the sleeve edges and the end of the long skirt that reached to her ankles. Unlike her usual, low-cut outfits, this V-necked only about four inches down. On her feet were a pair of her best shoes, and a hint of lipstick and blush outlined her features. Ryoko winked at her reflection, smiling happily.   
"Tonight's the night! Tenchi, prepare to get your heart stolen!"

Tenchi stood in front of the shrine, sweeping the steps. Sunset was just coming- as soon as he finished he'd head home. He sighed slightly. He loved the girls, but sometimes it was nice to have this little moment of piece. He looked up at the sound of footsteps on the shrine walkway. In a few moment Ryoko's head, then body, came over the edge. He blinked a few times, surprised by how pretty she looked.   
"Hi Ryoko. You look nice. What's the occasion?"  
Ryoko smiled and laughed a little. "Tenchi, how would you like to do something tonight? Just you and me?"  
"Sounds like fun. But won't the other girls worry about it?" he asked.  
She shrugged. "Musashi's got everything taken care of. They'll know you're fine."  
"What about Aeka?"  
"Forget about her!" Ryoko insisted. "We haven't done anything together since I don't even remember! I want to take you to Tokyo- have a little privacy for once."  
"Tokyo? Wow, you've got this prepared, don't you?" Tenchi chuckled.   
"Mm-hm. I've been waiting for the perfect day. Today seems like that, don't you think? A beautiful June evening and the weather being just perfect."  
Tenchi didn't want to disappoint her; she seemed so excited about it. At the same time, though, he was worried. Tenchi knew Ryoko's idea of "fun" was a little wild. Still...  
"I need to go home and get changed," he told her. "Once I do that, we can go to Tokyo."  
Ryoko smiled and hugged him happily. "Do you want me to teleport you home?"  
"That's okay. I'll walk." Tenchi managed to get loose from Ryoko and head down the steps. She walked beside him, and they bantered for a while, then went in silence the rest of the way.  
'Musashi,' Ryoko thought to herself as she neared the house. 'You'd better pull this one off.'

Kiyone saw the duo heading towards the house. She gave the signal to Washu, who called: "Aeka! Could you come here for a sec? I want to show you something in my lab."  
Aeka got up from her spot on the couch. "Very well, Miss Washu. But do hurry, for Tenchi shall be home soon and I wish to greet him as he comes in."  
"Yeah, yeah," she winked at Kiyone and mouthed "all clear," then disappeared into the lab after Aeka. Kiyone nodded and grinned. Just in time, too, because Tenchi and Ryoko had just reached the door.   
"Hi Kiyone," Tenchi greeted. "Standing watch at the door, huh?"  
"You could say that," Kiyone replied simply. Tenchi decided not to press it.  
"I'll be right back," he said to Ryoko. "This won't take too long." He was up the stairs in an instant.  
"Everything going to plan?" the pirate asked the police officer after a minute or so.  
She nodded. "Musashi's got the movie, Aeka's in the lab, and Sasami's making popcorn."   
Ryoko tapped her foot. "I hope he hurries up. Washu can't keep her busy THAT long."  
She didn't need to worry, however, because Tenchi was already coming back down. He was in one of his best outfits- simple, but in Ryoko's mind everything he wore looked great.  
"Ready?"  
He nodded. "Where are we going?"  
"Wherever you want," Ryoko told him. "What's your favorite restaurant in Tokyo? You just name the place and I'll take us there."  
Tenchi took a step back. "Teleporting?"  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"What if someone sees us?" he asked nervously. "I don't want to cause a stir in such a big city."  
"Relax," she laughed, taking his hand. "I've been to Tokyo a few times and I know plenty of back alleys. So, what's you favorite place?"  
"I guess _Ai Hanabira_, they've got some great Japanese food," Tenchi decided.  
"Oh, I love that place too!" Ryoko agreed. "Hold on." And they were gone.  
Kiyone sighed heavily. She couldn't believe she'd just helped one of the most wanted criminals in the galaxy go out with a boy that the crowned Princess of Jurai was after. But, Ryoko had asked before Aeka had...  
"Is Tenchi here yet? Did I miss him!?" Aeka demanded, the closet door swinging shut behind her.  
Kiyone said what she had rehearsed. "Yeah, he was here. He said he wasn't feeling very good, and just wanted to rest. He told me to say he wouldn't be down for the evening, and not to worry about him."  
"Oh, my poor Tenchi!" Aeka put a hand to her mouth. "I must go up and see if he needs anything."  
"He said he didn't want ANYONE to disturb him. Besides, I bet he'll be fine after a good night's sleep," Kiyone emphasized. "Just leave him alone for once."  
"I'm sure that by anyone he wasn't referring to me!" Aeka insisted, starting to go up the stairs. Kiyone tried to stop her, but the Princess wouldn't hear it. Kiyone slumped down into the couch. She could only hope that Washu's hologram tricked Aeka.

"Lord Tenchi? Excuse me, Lord Tenchi?" Aeka said timidly, peeking out from behind the door. "Are you feeling all right? Would you like me to bring you something?"  
The lights were off, and there was a lump underneath the covers. "Aeka? That you?"  
"Yes, Lord Tenchi, it's me," she replied. "Before you retire for the evening, would you like me to get you something? Some hot tea, or soup-"  
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine after a little rest. It's probably just a minor cold. Why don't you go downstairs and have some fun with the other girls?"  
Aeka nodded. "Very well then, if that's what you'd like."  
"I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Yes, tomorrow. Sleep well, Tenchi, and I sincerely hope you are well after it," Aeka told him, closing the door behind her. Inside the room the hologram, which Washu had been projecting and talking through from her lab, disappeared and the covers collapsed back into a regular bed.  
Outside, Aeka leaned against the door, wondering if she should go back downstairs or wait for Sasami to call her, when Musashi walked out of her and Ryoko's room.   
"Hey Aeka! How's life?" Musashi greeted cheerfully, carrying something under her arm.  
Aeka shrugged. "It's fine, I suppose. Lord Tenchi isn't feeling too well, I'm afraid."  
"Why so glum? Geez, don't let a guy rule your life," the Rocket advised. She waved a couple boxes in front of Aeka. "I rented a couple movies. One's a chick flick and the other's an award-winning thriller. What do you say? We can have a ladies night- and if you get scared, Kojiro and Takeshi are always nearby..."  
"No doubt Takeshi will spend the entire evening in the arms of his Police woman," Aeka giggled. She looked up suddenly, as if searching for someone. "By the way, where is your roommate?"  
"Who? Ryoko?" Aeka nodded. "Oh, she said something about hitting the bars. You know how she is."  
"Yes. I do. That's typical of her," Aeka grumbled.  
"Ah, forget about Ryoko! Forget about Tenchi! Just drop your problems for an evening, huh?" Musashu persuaded. "Pretend you're just some ordinary girl who's having a night with some friends! Who knows? You might actually have fun."   
It didn't take long for Aeka to think this one over. "Yes. I think I will. Thank you, Musashi." She started down the stairs, but halted. "Just why are you being so nice to me anyway? Is there something you are after?"  
"Nothing I'M after, Princess," Musashi said truthfully. "Nothing what-so-ever."

Tenchi grinned over his glass at Ryoko. She smiled back. They were at a balcony table at the _Ai Hanabira_ and thoroughly enjoying their meal.  
"This is a great table," Tenchi commented. "The view is beautiful."  
"That's one reason I like this place so much," Ryoko told him. "You can see for miles all around Tokyo." She motioned in the direction of a tall tower that resembled the famous Parisian one. "Isn't that Tokyo Tower?"  
Tenchi nodded. "Where we had our famous little battle 20 years ago."  
Ryoko smiled as she remembered their trip back into time. "That was a tough guy, Kain. But we pulled through." Tenchi looked off into the night sky, but Ryoko's eyes remained on him.  
Tenchi looked back. "What?"  
"Nothing. Just admiring the view," Ryoko said teasingly. Tenchi blushed. The space pirate sipped at her wine- she was skipping Sake tonight. "We've had a lot of fun, over the past few years, haven't we Tenchi?"  
"Mm-hm," he agreed. "Ever since your ship crashed here the party's never ended." He took a finishing bite from his meal. "You ready to go?"  
Ryoko took out a wallet. "Yeah. I'll get the bill."  
"No, that's all right. I'll take care of it," Tenchi objected. "You've worked so hard to get the money you have, you deserve to treat yourself."  
"I AM treating myself. This is one of the best dinner's I've had in my life." She flipped through, seeing how much she had. Ryoko blushed. "I, sorta, sapped most of it on this dress. Do you think you can handle the rest of the money?"  
"I'll handle all of it," he insisted, again, taking out the correct amount- 4800 yen- and placing it on the table. "There. Taken care of." He stood up, and held out a hand for Ryoko. She took it, grinning happily. "You spent most of your savings on the dress, huh?"  
"Yep. Just for tonight."  
Tenchi looked down, realizing she bought it for him. "It's, uh, really nice. You look great in it. Sorry I didn't say anything earlier."  
"No problem. Rendered speechless is a good thing," she told him, flicking his chin up so she was looking him in the eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. 'I'm FLIRTING with TENCHI, and he's FLIRTING BACK!' she wanted to scream, but kept it inside.   
Once they were back out on the street, Ryoko asked Tenchi if he wanted to go anywhere else.   
"I can't think of anywhere," he said, glancing at his watch. "If you want, we could just walk around a little. Maybe go through the park- it's not far from here."  
Ryoko agreed, and the two strolled through the streets of Tokyo, looking like a couple out on a date. After walking for a while, they reached a small store selling Sake, where Ryoko insisted on buying she and Tenchi a small bottle. After a little persuasion she got Tenchi to try it, and, finding that it was pretty good, Tenchi and Ryoko continued to share sips, chatting as they went, and all-in-all enjoying the spring evening. Once they finished the bottle Ryoko announced that her feet were getting tired, and Tenchi agreed that it was about time to go home.  
"It's almost 10," he explained, "and I've got chores tomorrow."  
Ryoko chuckled. "I've got a little surprise at home for you."  
Tenchi knew about Ryoko's surprises, so he was a bit nervous about this one. "Uh, what kind of surprise?"  
"You'll see when we get back," was all she would say.  
Soon they found a back alley, where Ryoko could safely teleport them home. Tenchi opened his eyes and found himself in his own room. He started to relax, when it hit him- he was in his room with the notorious Ryoko! Last time they'd had privacy like this (Washu's cave long ago) Ryoko had tried quite a stunt. Tenchi prayed silently that nothing like that would happen tonight. She'd been so good about that so far...  
Thankfully, there was nothing of that sort planned. Rather, a television was set in Tenchi's room, with several videos sitting on top of it.  
"How did this get here?" Tenchi wondered.  
"I had Washu move it from my room to yours. Nice of her, huh?" Ryoko grinned.  
Tenchi returned the smile. "You sure planned this date out, didn't you?"  
"Date?" Ryoko felt her heart thumping as much as Takeshi's must have been when Mihoshi said those words. She'd sort of thought of it like that, but to hear Tenchi say it... "Yeah, I guess I did."  
He laughed. "Let's see what kind of selection we have."  
Tenchi and Ryoko flipped through the few videos on the top.  
"Romance... romance... romance... blast! I thought I told Musashi to get a VARIETY!" Ryoko groaned. Tenchi laughed. "What are you laughing at?"  
"You," he said honestly. "It's funny to see you're perfect evening messed up just a little. I never knew you were such a perfectionist."  
"Guess we learn something new everyday," Ryoko remarked. She couldn't help but laugh along with him. Ryoko jerked a thumb at the tapes. "Anything there you want to watch?"  
Tenchi held up one. "Didn't _Dake Anata_ get pretty good reviews?"  
"I'm not really sure. I think so. You wanna... you wanna watch it?"   
He popped it in. "It might be good."  
The duo curled up next to each other on Tenchi's bed, leaning back against the wall. Tenchi even slipped his arm around her and let her put her head on his shoulder! Ryoko sighed happily.  
Surprisingly, the movie WAS pretty good, but long. Tenchi and Ryoko, exhausted by their evening in Tokyo, found themselves drifting off to sleep. By 11:30 they had fallen asleep in each other's arms.

Tenchi awoke the next morning at his usual time to find a woman laying next to him. Tenchi jerked in surprise, knocking Ryoko off of him and causing her to wake up.  
"Hm? Oh, morning Tenchi," Ryoko said groggily. She looked around. "Tenchi?"  
Both jumped up, blushing like crazy. Realizing that they were still fully clothed and remembering last night's events, they discovered that they had simply fallen asleep watching _Dake Anata_.   
"Uh, maybe you should go back to your room," Tenchi suggested.  
Ryoko nodded. "I'll get Washu to move the TV back to my room. Um... I had a nice time, Tenchi."  
"Me too."   
Ryoko's smile widened. "Hey! You wanna do it again, then?"  
"Sure. Next Friday?"  
"Why not Tuesday?"  
"Uh... why Tuesday? I've got school and you've got work, so we really can't stay up late-" Tenchi began.  
Ryoko cut him off. "You don't have to worry about shrine duty since it's a school day, and you said you won't have homework since it's the last week of school. And we don't have to be out late. Just a trip into Okiyama and to the movies. There's a new Animé out that I've been dying to see."  
"That series about those four mages?" Tenchi asked. He, not unlike many other teenagers in Japan and all over the world, liked Animé. "I've been wanting to see that too."  
"Great. Then I'll meet you up at the shrine around, oh, 6? Right after dinner?"  
"Why not just go from the house?" he wondered. "Unless... Aeka doesn't know we're doing this, does she?"  
"Who cares about Aeka? Stop worrying about the others, Tenchi! Give yourself a little attention, for once. What do YOU wanna do?" Ryoko countered.  
Tenchi paused, looking down. In a moment he looked at her again. "6 on Tuesday, right?"  
Ryoko's smile widened even more, and she hugged Tenchi. She decided to throw Musashi's caution plan to the wind, and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "Sounds great! I'll see you in a few minutes, I guess!" She left the blushing, stunned and open-mouthed teen to go to her room.   
After Ryoko was gone, Tenchi put a hand to his cheek.  
And smiled.

"Well well, so the little girl decides to come back from her big date." Musashi was already up, and grinning from ear to ear. "And here I thought I knew Tenchi! Well, I guess I was wrong. Aparently he does want to move fast... nice job, Ryoko! I'm so proud!"  
"We didn't do anything, actually," Ryoko said calmly, throwing off the nice dress and putting on a more casual one. "We fell asleep watching one of those romance movies you rented. And didn't I tell you to get a variety?"  
"What?" Musashi said, acting offended. "One was a story about forbidden love, one was about two people who hated each other in real life, but were in love through e-mail, and the other was a heart-warming war story where a woman and man were separated during some terrible World War something-or-other. I never read up on Earth history."  
"Oh, yeah, that's a whole lot of variety. At any rate, it seemed to work well enough. We're going out again on Tuesday."  
"Tuesday!? You mean to tell me that I have to have another plan ready in two days??" Musashi questioned. "You actually think I can get Aeka to believe Tenchi's sick AGAIN?!"  
"What about Washu's hologram?"  
"Doesn't work long enough."  
"Blast."  
"I know what you mean. But maybe I can figure something out," Musashi slapped her "girlfriend" on the back. "Hey! Leave it all to me! You just enjoy yourself! This is your big chance! You and Tenchi, unrequited love, forevermore!" She sighed dreamily, then glared at the pirate. "Speaking of love, what about me and Kojiro?! I'm not gonna do everything only to have you leave me in the dust!"  
"There's really nothing I can do," Ryoko told her, brushing out her hair into it's usual style. "It's not like I can get you to express your feelings, or stop that RDS or whatever you call it. I can get you privacy, but if you don't use it... speaking of which, did you or Kojiro make even the slightest move at each other?"  
Musashi shook her head. "Never had a chance. Takeshi and Mihoshi sat between us and spent the entire evening feeding popcorn to the other. What a couple of hopeless romantics."  
"Too bad. Well, you ready to go downstairs? What time is it, anyway?" Ryoko wondered.  
"Almost 10. Lord Katsuhito didn't even ask about Tenchi. I think he knows what's going on," Musashi commented.  
"That one knows everything," Ryoko agreed. "You coming or not? I'm starving and if we stay here too long people are gonna wonder if we died or something."  
"And wouldn't Aeka be pleased?" Musashi chuckled, sliding open the door and almost running into Tenchi. "Oh! Hi, Tenchi."  
"Hi Musashi," he looked past her, "Hey Ryoko."  
"Tenchi."  
There was a slight, awkward pause on Musashi's part, but she had it covered. "All righty, what's say we get a meal, huh?" She waved a hand between them. "Stare too long and your eyes'll get locked that way. Try explaining THAT to the Princess."  
Tenchi blushed, immediately turning to go down the stairs. Musashi grinned slyly at Ryoko. "Falls in love fast, don't he?"  
"In love? What are you talking about? Tenchi's not in love with me... yet," Ryoko smirked, literally floating downstairs, Musashi following.

Things continued to go by more or less normally for a while. Tenchi and Ryoko dated- always privately, without Aeka knowing. Ryoko was starting to wonder if they'd be secretly doing this forever, but didn't push it on Tenchi. He seemed reluctant to break it to Aeka- if there was anything to break, and Ryoko was sure there was.  
One night, a particularly warm spring evening, Ryoko seized her chance of helping out Musashi. She explained her simple plan to Musashi, then began it at dinner.  
"Hey Aeka, wanna know a secret?"  
"I do not wish to know anything from you, Miss Ryoko, for it shall be a lie."  
"I heard Jurai's been taken over again."  
"Whatever are you talking about?"  
"Oh, yeah, a couple guys just came on in and overtook the place. Man, what a hopeless planet if it can't even defend itself from a few villains. If I wanted to, I could run that place in a day," she snapped her fingers to make her point.  
"Jurai's been captured! Oh no what are we gonna do!?" Mihoshi wailed.  
"Ryoko's just trying to get to Aeka!" Kiyone told her.  
"It's no joke, I'll tell you that," Ryoko insisted. "Word has it that the palace has been destroyed, and those Jurai warriors that guard it."  
"Azaka and Kamidake!?" Sasami gasped. "No way, no one beats them!"  
"Ryoko, you must stop telling such wild stories!" Aeka snapped.  
"What's the matter, Princess? Angry 'cause of all that horrible fighting that's going on? Maybe you're embarassed because you're too scared to go back and fight."  
"Wanna make our escape before it gets ugly?" Musashi whispered to Kojiro. He nodded. Violence wasn't his favorite thing in the world, and getting hurt was even higher on his list of dislikes. They stole away into the evening, Musashi giving Ryoko a thumbs-up right before she left.  
The two walked mostly in silence, Kojiro for the most part following Musashi, as was custom for the two. Musashi took him out into the middle of the lake (by way of stepping stones). Once they got to the tree of Ryu-Oh, Kojiro stopped. "Guess this is where we turn around."  
"Not necessarily," Musashi replied, simply, sticking her foot into one of the tree's notches and making her way up. "There's a platform up a little ways. Great place to sit down for a while." She looked down impatiently. "You coming or not?"  
Kojiro obediently followed her into the tree and onto a simple, wooden platform. He rested his back against the tree. "This is great." He looked up at the stars. "You know, Earth's moon looks a lot like Nomékop's. When you look up, it's almost like we're back there."  
"Guess so," Musashi replied. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Hey, this is kinda comfortable."  
Kojiro stiffened, but relaxed after a moment. After a short silence, he spoke again: "I really love it, here on Earth. It's too bad we have to go back once Washu finishes her machine."  
"Says who?"  
Kojiro sat up, staring into Musashi's eyes. "What do you mean?"  
"Why do we have to go back, Kojiro?" Musashi questioned. "What is there for us, back there? No food, no friends... nothing but mental beatings and physical pain everyday."  
"Nyasu'll get worried," Kojiro said quietly.  
Musashi laughed wryly. "He's a cat. He doesn't need anyone. Think about it, Kojiro? What reason do we have for ever leaving here? Think of what we'd be losing? This is the only place I've ever felt like I belonged. No one cares about your past, or your job... a first-class pirate and a police officer are friends! It doesn't matter to them. You're you, and that's all there is. Why would anybody want to give that up?" She sighed. "The more I get to know them, the less and less I want to go home."  
"Musashi, you're completely right," Kojiro agreed. "We don't have a reason to go home." By now he was face-to-face with her, very little space between them. "Except that, deep down, you know we don't belong here. Things won't always be as bad as they are right now on Nomékop. My God, we're only seventeen. It's not like we don't have a whole life ahead of us. Nomékop IS our home, after all, and we can't just turn our backs on it."  
Musashi was torn between smacking him and hugging him, so instead she just leaned back. "I guess you're right. Geez, Kojiro, I never knew you were that deep. When did that happen?"  
"I guess there's a lot we don't know about each other," was all her would say. "I'm gonna head back. I bet the little battle's over by now." He started to climb down. "You coming?"  
Musashi nodded, and went after Kojiro. Once they were at the bottom, Kojiro started to leave.   
"Kojiro-"  
"Yeah, Musa-chan?"  
"Uh..." she couldn't say it. Try as she might, there was no way to get the words out. "Thanks, Kojiro. You're a better friend then I deserve."   
"Yeah, well, the same goes for you."  
Musashi smiled as they walked underneath an overhang of trees, making sure Kojiro couldn't see her face. It wasn't love, but it was a start.

A week passed, then two. Kojiro and Musashi spent more time together, but nothing more than what you could call friendly chatter. And, seeing as how they used to spend nearly every minute with each other, it really wasn't anything.  
Ryoko and Tenchi's relationship was growing well, and Ryoko was beginning to put in the idea of telling the others that they were a couple. Still, something held Tenchi back. Ryoko was beginning to wonder how he really felt about her. Was this just a passing fling to him? Ryoko couldn't tell; not even Musashi could tell.  
One day in early July, a little over two months after the D-Space travellers had come to earth, everything came to a climax that would change the Masaki household forever.  
The group were, as usual, eating dinner, and for the first time in a while having a somewhat quiet meal, when Aeka said suddenly. "Lord Tenchi, how would you like to go back to Jurai with me?"  
Everyone's heads snapped up. "Huh?"  
"I have been considering taking a trip back to my own homeworld, and I was curious to see if you would like to come along. Perhaps, well, we make it a special trip, just the two of us. Seeing as how you are Juraiian blood, I know the people of Jurai would greatly love to see you again. And, maybe, when that is finished, you and I can take a trip throughout space. A, er, very special trip, if you understand."  
Mihoshi slurped her food loudly. That was the only sound to be heard.  
"Tenchi?"  
"Um, Aeka, you see-"  
"He'd never do that!" Ryoko snapped, slamming her cup down hard. "Tenchi would never take a trip alone with you!"  
Aeka shot the pirate daggers. "If I didn't know better, I would think that you were trying to stop two people in love from having a little fun through the universe."  
"Love! Ha!" Ryoko scoffed. "I'll have you know, Miss Priss, that Tenchi and I are in love! We've been dating and everything!"  
"Ryoko! I am quite tired of your constant lying! Stop this at once! Why, Tenchi could never love a barbarian like yourself, especially if he had myself as a choice."  
"I'm not lying! You can ask him yourself! Tenchi will tell you the truth, and you know you can trust him!" Ryoko turned to him. "Tenchi, this is the best time, I guess. Why don't you tell her what's going on?"  
"Uh..."  
"You leave Lord Tenchi out of this!" Aeka smiled winningly at Tenchi. She glared back at her rival and enemy since childhood. "I am quite sick of all of this, Ryoko! You need to give it up, once and for all! Tenchi does not, would not, could not, and never will love anyone like you! Why, I ask, would someone find interest in a rowdy, drunken and irresponsible space fiend, except perhaps another pirate? Not Lord Tenchi, no! He has more class than that, you know! Really Ryoko, you ought to just give it up."  
"Tenchi, aren't you going to say anything?!" Ryoko demanded.  
"Aeka, Ryoko..."  
"I thought I told you not to drag him in! He does not wish to hurt your feelings, but he will if it will shut you up! Now leave him alone, you heartless pirate!"  
Ryoko was so sick of this she thought she might puke. She gave Tenchi a look. "Thanks a lot," then disappeared.  
"Humph!" Aeka commented.  
Dead silence.  
Tenchi stood up without a sound and walked out, obviously going to find Ryoko. Aeka looked from face to face, unsure of what to say. "Did I... did I miss something?"  
No response.  
Quietly the Princess stood up and left. "I suppose I should apologize to Ryoko. I was a bit harsh on her."  
And she, too, was gone.  
"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Mihoshi wondered.  
"Yeah. I'm totally in the dark," Takeshi agreed. Sasami grabbed a couple dishes. "Help me clean up, Takeshi. I'll explain everything in there."  
"Come on, Mihoshi, I'll tell you on the way back to our apartment," Kiyone said.  
"If you would like, you two can stay here," Nobuyuki invited. "And maybe someone can explain something to me, too."  
"Come with me, Nobuyuki, and I'll tell you what there is to know." The voice was Katsuhito's.   
The others watched while he led Tenchi's bewildered father to a back room.  
"Did anyone tell him what's happening?" Musashi queried.  
Several head-shakes.  
"He'll never cease to amaze me," Washu remarked. "Good luck with all this love stuff, I've got to go back to my lab. The machine's about ready."  
No one paid any attention to the mad scientist. They were all too busy wondering exactly HOW Katsuhito had found out about their little match-maker scheme.

"I thought I'd find you here."  
Ryoko didn't look up when Tenchi sat next to her. They were on the platform, atop Ryu-Oh. "Yeah, I guess you know me well, then."  
"I, uh, sorry I didn't give you a hand back there," Tenchi said, blushing slightly. "I was trying, but Aeka cut me off..."  
"You know, everyone thinks I'm some kind of heartless witch," Ryoko said suddenly. "Like all I care about is myself, and I'll do whatever it takes to please me. I get so tired of it sometimes!"  
Tenchi didn't know what to say. "I don't."  
"No," she agreed after a pause, "YOU don't. And neither does Musashi. But Aeka... has she already forgotten that I saved her worthless life during that whole imposter Yosho thing?"  
Tenchi didn't want to talk about it. That had been the most stress-filled and painful day of all of their lives. "You okay now? When you left I thought you might take Ryo-Ohki and leave for a while."  
"Nah, I wouldn't leave. There's nothing up there for me, just more pirates and Nagi waiting for information on where I am," Ryoko turned to Tenchi. "Here I've got my friends... and you, Tenchi." She looked away. "Besides, it's so cold and boring in space, just me and Ryo-Ohki flying around and wreaking havoc gets boring after a while. Maybe I'll give it up, retire from a life as a class-A criminal."  
"That's good to hear," Tenchi agreed, wondering how the conversation had turned this way.  
"You think Aeka would pardon me? Maybe they don't want me on Jurai anymore; after that rumor that I died maybe they gave up."  
"What's got you interested in that?" he asked.  
Ryoko stared up at the sky. "Do you remember, Tenchi, when I asked you if you'd like to go on a trip with me through the universe- a honeymoon in space- and you said it sounded like fun?" A nod from Tenchi. "Well, I wanna take that trip. And I don't want to take it with police and bounty hunters on my tail. Just you and me, peacefully visiting planets and seeing stars... wouldn't that make a great date?"  
"Ryoko, I-"  
"Tenchi, let's tell them all about us. Let's tell Aeka what's happening behind her back. I don't want to keep up this secret routine anymore! I know, it'll hurt her at first, but she'll get used to the idea and meet someone nice back on Jurai, or maybe even here on Earth." Ryoko leaned over her unofficial boyfriend. "Come on, Tenchi, she has to know sooner or later."  
He averted eye contact. "You're right, Ryoko. It's just... she'll be heart-broken, and I don't wanna hurt Aeka anymore than I wanna hurt you or the other girls."  
Ryoko's smile turned to frown. "Tenchi! Stop. You have to quit worrying about hurting other people's feelings! For once in your life, do what you want to do! What do you want out of life? Do you want to keep this up forever, dating me in private and acting like we're only friends in front of her? Because let me tell you, I don't, and if that's what you call a good relationship I'll take myself somewhere else!"  
"...No, I don't want that at all. I- I do want to tell the others about us." Tenchi's arms slid around Ryoko and embraced her. "I like Aeka, maybe a little more than I like the others... but I love you, Ryoko. And believe me, the last thing I want to see is you hurt by my stupid indecisiveness."  
Ryoko sucked in air when Tenchi said the word "love." Ever since she'd met him she'd dreamt, fantasized, and wished those words would come out of his mouth. "Tenchi."  
They pulled away, slightly, looking at each other for a moment. Then, suprisingly, it was Tenchi who made the first move forward. Ryoko followed suite, until lips were touching lips and they had their first, simple kiss.  
Someone from below gasped. "Lord Tenchi! Miss Ryoko! It can't be!"  
The couple looked down, to see none other than Aeka standing on the stepping stones.  
"Aeka?" Ryoko questioned. "What the heck?"  
The Juraiian Princess turned her back on them. "So, Ryoko was telling the truth. Very well, then, I suppose that's that, isn't it?" She stepped quickly and lightly from the steps, than ran back in the direction of the Masaki house.  
"Aeka, wait-"   
"Let her go, Tenchi," Ryoko said, watching her leave. "All she wants right now is to be left alone. Believe me, I'd want the same thing." She took ahold of his arms and led him to the ladder. "Let's go back. It's late, and the others are going to wonder where we are."  
"Do they know?" he asked.  
"Musashi, Washu, Kiyone, and Sasami do. Lord Katsuhito might. By now, I'm sure the others do, also. Aeka's tear-streaked face will be enough for them."

The next morning, a dreary Aeka made her way downstairs to make a short announcement. "I have contacted Jurai by way of Washu's interspace transmitter, and they shall be sending out a ship to pick me up shortly." She bowed in Tenchi, Nobuyuki, and Katsuhito's direction. "Thank you for your hospitality, Jurai will not forget it." She turned to her younger sister. "Sasami, be prepared to leave in a month or so. We will both be going back home and return to normal life."  
Sasami's eyes widened. "What? No, Aeka, I don't want to leave! Earth is my home, now, and I wanna stay here! You don't have to leave, sis! Just because Ryoko and Tenchi-"  
"I don't want to hear it," Aeka said snappishly, her voice nearly breaking half-way through the words. "We have a planet to run, you know. That's all there really is to it."  
Sasami became indignant. "I don't want to leave. Why can't I just stay here? I'm almost eleven, now, I think I can make my own decisions. And it's not like I won't be near Juraiian blood or adults. Grandfather, father, and Tenchi will watch out for me. So will the other girls!"  
"Sasami-"  
"You know what you are, Aeka!? You're spoiled! Just because you didn't get what you wanted, now you have to run away somewhere else!" the young girl dashed out of the room into her place of security- the kitchen.  
Aeka ran the other way, up the stairs and to her room.  
The rest of the group, with the exception of Washu, who had been downstairs all day, looked at each other.  
"I should go talk to Aeka-" Tenchi began to say.  
"No. I'll do it," Ryoko cut him off. Weird looks from everyone. "I know more or less what she's going through right now. I might not be her favorite person, but maybe I can get through to her."  
"Then, I'll go comfort Sasami-"  
"Taken care of," Takeshi interrupted. "I've got a million siblings back home. I know how to take care of this."  
"Wow, this is sort of like a soap opera," Mihoshi remarked innocently. "Everyone crying and girls getting guys and stuff."  
Kiyone rubbed her temples. "Can't you ever take things seriously?"  
"What? I am. I was only saying."  
"That's what I mean! You need to think before you say!"  
"Don't get mad at me, Kiyone! I don't wanna start crying too!"

"Hey, Aeka."  
"I do not wish to speak to you, Miss Ryoko," Aeka said, not trying to hide the fact that she was weeping.  
"Listen, Aeka..."  
"You have what you want! Why can't you just leave me alone!? Or will torturing me make you feel better!?" she snapped viciously.  
Ryoko recoiled. "Ouch." She took a seat next to the Princess, who was staring out her bedroom window. "Not that it matters, but I didn't come up here to torture, tease, or anything like that. Actually..." she shifted nervously. "Hell, Aeka, I'm no good at this crap. Look, the truth is... you know, I feel sorta sorry for you."  
"I don't need your pity."  
Ryoko shrugged. "Hey, pity isn't what your getting. In all honesty, I feel like dancing around shouting to the heavens _'En koi Tenchi, soshite Tenchi suki ware_!'"  
"Then why don't you!?"  
Ryoko awkwardly swung a friendly arm around her old rival's shoulders. "Hey, Princess, you oughta cheer up, you know. It's not the end of the world! You're young, you're pretty, you're royal and rich! Guys'll be begging to marry you."  
"None of them will be like Tenchi," Aeka said quietly, still not meeting Ryoko's eyes.  
"How d'you know that, huh?" the pirate countered. "You met every man in the galaxy? Every man on Jurai and Earth, for that matter. There's a million fish in the sea, and Tenchi ain't the only good one."  
"I'm sure you are right, Miss Ryoko. It's just..."  
"Hey, if you're worried about Tenchi treating you like trash or something, you don't have a problem in the world. He'll always think of you as a great friend. Prob'ly be able to tell you things he can't even tell me." Ryoko had lied on that part, but luckily Aeka couldn't tell. "And look on the bright side! With Tenchi out of the way, you don't have anything holding you back from meeting new people and making new friends. Who knows, now that we aren't rivals you and I could actually become friends!"  
Aeka tittered a little at the thought. "That shall be the day, I'm sure."  
"Okay, I made ya laugh. That's gotta be good. Why don't you come back downstairs. Trust me, the others are freakin' out about you." She stood up.  
"Ryoko-" Aeka hesitated. "Thank you." She, too, rose from her seat, wiping her cheeks dry. "But I shall still be returning to Jurai. Perhaps, not forever as was planned, but it is time that I pay a visit."  
"Yeah, okay, fine with me," Ryoko waved a hand carelessly. "But you shouldn't drag Sasami along if she doesn't wanna go. She's a big girl, she'll be okay here."  
Aeka nodded in agreement. "Right." She started past the pirate. The familiar sparkle was starting to come back to her eyes. "You coming, or shall I tell them you're outside crying to the heavens 'En koi Tenchi'?"  
"Get outta my way Princess Priss," Ryoko said jokingly. "I haven't eaten breakfast yet, and you never wanna get in the way of a starving pirate!"  
"Starving, indeed!"

Down in her lab, Washu had just put the finishing touch on the Dimension back-portal. "And there we go! Ah! Two months and a couple weeks- I made pretty good time. But then again, I am the greatest scientific genius in the-"  
Her monitor started beeping loudly, indicating that a ship within a light year was nearing Earth. "Hm? Maybe Azaka and Kamidake are visiting..."  
Washu typed in a few keys, directing the computer to show a layout of the ship and who it belonged to. What it showed was anything but what the scientist had expected. "Hm? What's this?..."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

Tenchi: Aliens? Attacking a little place like Earth?  
Kiyone: That's what Washu said.  
Aeka: But whatever would they want with this planet?  
Washu: Nothing really. Except that the two Jurai Princesses, the two princes, the powerful space pirate, two top police officers and the smartest scientist in the universe are here. That's all.  
Musashi: I don't think I'm ready for this kind of trouble!  
Kojiro: Make that one double!  
Takeshi: Next time on the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for War  
Ryoko: It's unquestionably violent!

[Episode Five: No Need for War][7]

[PokéMuyo!  
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	5. Episode Five: No Need for War

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Episode Five

Episode Five:   
  
No Need for War

Washu threw open the door that connected her lab to the Masaki house. The rest of the extended family were all in the living room, chatting, snacking and squabbling.   
"Hey there!" she called. They looked up from what they were doing. "Well, group, I've got some good news and I got some bad news."  
"Yes, Miss Washu?" Aeka asked.  
"Ah-hem," she cleared her throat. "First of all, the dimension portal is all set up and ready to go!"  
Mihoshi fell off Takeshi's lap as he jumped up. Both Musashi and Ryoko glared daggers at the scientist. Kojiro's mouth formed an "o" of surprise.  
"WHAT!?" Musashi and Ryoko shouted.  
"It's only been a little over two months!" Takeshi protested.  
"Huh? Takeshi's leaving? Wha?" Mihoshi asked, looking from her love to Washu.   
Washu nodded. "That's right! I finished early! After all, this is ME we're talking about! Wanna hear the bad news?"  
"You mean that WASN'T the bad news!?" Kojiro demanded.   
A shake of the head. "Nope." She turned suddenly serious. "And once you hear the bad news, this won't seem like anything at all."  
"What is it, Washu?" Tenchi asked, more calmly than the others.  
She jerked her head back into the lab. "Follow me. I'll show you everything."

"ALIENS!?"  
"That's what I said, isn't it?"  
"But Washu, what in the world would a bunch of, uh..." Kiyone paused.  
"They're called Terans. They're a nomadic race that travels from planet to planet. Remember when we saw that movie _Independence Day_, the one with subtitles from America?" Nods from Tenchi and the girls, shrugs from the D-Space Travellers. "That's sorta how these guys are. Once they find a planet, they kill all of it's inhabitants, then absorb everything and leave it behind. They're ruthless killing machines, and have the technology of a hundred planets under their belts. And there next target... is Earth."  
"But I don't get it!" Tenchi exclaimed. "Why would these Terans be after Earth? It's not like it's the most advanced planet, or the cleanest, or anything like that."  
"The Terans aren't idiots. Before their victims die, they absorb all their thoughts, memories, and knowledge. Then, when they mate, it gets passed on to their children. This makes them very smart, and very deadly." Washu paused to type in a few things on her keyboard. "They know that the Juraiian princesses, along with Lord Yosho and Lord Tenchi, not to mention the space pirate Ryoko, two of the most famous Galaxy Police Officers, and myself, of course, are staying here. If they take Earth, they'd take us, and that means literally nothing could stop them from destroying Jurai. So you see, Tenchi, this place has been targeted not only for it's abundance in life, but also because of us. Earth is in danger, and we're the only ones who can stop it."  
"But what can we do against these guys? They sound really scary," Mihoshi wondered.  
"I shall inform Jurai of the danger. They will send out battle ships immediately," Aeka decided, beginning to go to Washu's interspace transmitter; a machine she had had for just these sort of problems.  
"It's too late for that, Aeka," Washu stopped her. "They were flying here under a cloak that not even my sensors could pick up until the last minute. They'll be here in a few days. Even Jurai's fastest ship's can't travel across the galaxies in less than a couple months. By then, there'd be nothing left of Earth than a charred rock."  
"So it's hopeless," Kiyone concluded.  
"Not exactly. We can fight them," Washu whirled in her chair to face the group. "They know this, I'm sure; chances are they'll attack the Masaki shrine first to finish us off, then go on to the rest of the planet. If we can hold them off long enough for Jurai's military to get here, then maybe..."  
"So, there's still a chance," Tenchi put in.   
"Were you about to fight a war without telling me?" it was Lord Katsuhito. "Ah, no matter. Tenchi, you'll need to get the sword. It's up at the shrine. Ryoko, could you take him there via teleportation?"  
She nodded, grabbed Tenchi's arm, and disappeared.   
"Kiyone, Mihoshi," he addressed the two Police Officers. "Go to Yugami, and get all the weapons you have. We'll be needing guns for those who cannot use power like Aeka and myself." Now Katsuhito turned to the Juraiian Princess. "Princess Aeka, would you call Jurai and tell them to fly to Earth for battle? Make sure they come with utmost haste."  
"Yes, Grandfather," Aeka bowed hastily, then rushed to the transmitter.  
"What about me, Lord Katsuhito?" Sasami asked. "I want to help, somehow."  
"Ah, Sasami. You are young, yet, and should not be tainted with the blood of war. You shall remain in charge of the normal things- cooking, and cleaning- but we will need someone to tend for the wounded. Something tells me you would make a wonderful infirmary nurse; and you will get help from Nobuyuki, too. Now, go get all the clean towels and bandages in the house, and set up the hospital in my room. I will be spending a lot of time down here, with Washu."  
Sasami ran off as he told her, eager to be of some assistance in this battle for Earth.  
Katsuhito turned upon the three dumbstruck D-Space Travellers. "Now, what to do with you?" He glanced at the mad scientist. "You're portal is ready, is it not, Washu?"  
She nodded. "I've even pin-pointed the exact spot and time. They can go now, if they want to."  
"Hm. Then, it seems like you have a choice. Would you like to stay here, and risk your lives in this battle? Or, would you prefer to go home to the safety of your own planet?"  
Musashi, Kojiro and Takeshi looked from one to the other. A period of silence followed, then Katsuhito's: "It is a tough decision; you don't need to decide right at this moment. We have a few days, so I suppose you have tonight to think about it. The choice is yours, so I will not try to make an impression either way." He began to leave. "Now, I need to speak to Washu. I think you will find a bath the best thing in these times. You're dismissed."  
Temporarily speechless at the normally quiet (but aparently very observant) Katsuhito, the trio bowed low and walked out of the lab. Without a word Musashi retreated to the hot springs, Kojiro to the bath, and Takeshi to his room. The decision they were going to make was a tricky one, and could change the outcome of their lives -or deaths- forever.

Everyone met down in Washu's lab the next morning, directly after breakfast, to plan for the war ahead of them. Musashi, Kojiro, and Takeshi nodded to each other, already knowing what the other's would say when asked.  
"Ah, our D-Space companions," Katsuhito greeted them like he had the others. "I take it you've made your choice."  
"I'm staying here," Musashi told him.  
"Me too. This is like a second home to me," Kojiro added.  
"I'm in it 'till the end," Takeshi put in. "If they took Earth, what would stop them from taking Nomékop?"  
"You realize that some of us, if not all of us, may not make it out of this alive," Washu warned. "By staying here, you run a high risk of being killed."  
"I couldn't live with myself knowing that I deserted the people I cared about just when they needed as much help as they could get," Musashi said decisively.   
"There's no talking us out of it," Takeshi spoke up.  
Washu couldn't help but smile. "You've got spirit. I knew I built that machine to pick up strong personalities for a reason. All right, then, if that's what you're doing then we'd better get down to business." Washu walked to the front of the lab and turned to face the miniature army. "Welcome to our council of war. The situation isn't the prettiest, but we still have a chance." Washu, always thinking ahead, had created a slide show to help explain herself. She clicked once, and a picture of a vicious-looking alien appeared. "This is a Teran. They are about 5 feet tall, with a giant wing-span that nearly defies the laws of nature. They have hands, like we do, so they can maneuver space ships and handle weapons relatively well. Over the years, they have developed Jurai-like powers. Namely, creating shields and blasting powerballs at their enemies. To top this off, their hands are armed with ripping claws, as are their feet, and teeth made for slashing. They are intelligent, well-developed killing machines, and we're going to have our hands full." Click. "This is their fleet. Nearly twenty ships, all housing over a hundred fighting-worthy Terans. They won't risk landing them all on Earth, though. It's not their style. They'll send down small cruiser ships filled with Terans to take care of us, then very slowly destroy every city on Earth."  
"But Washu, if they're so powerful then why don't they just blow up Japan in one shot, and kill us quickly?" Ryoko questioned.  
"I told you, they absorb the knowledge from their prey. And if they absorbed all of ours- especially mine- they'd have almost unlimited power. Besides, these are creatures of death. They relish the kill, it's practically what they feed on." A few of the members of their council shuddered at the thought.   
"Anything else, Washu?" Tenchi wondered.  
"Lord Katsuhito?" Washu stepped out of his way to let him speak.  
He nodded his thanks. "The battling shall take place away from the home, so as not to damage our only means of protection. We are surrounded by woods, and with Ryoko's teleportation, we can move into the mountains quickly and leave just as fast." Click. "This is the spot where we will meet them. They are able to monitor Aeka's, Tenchi's and my own Jurai power, so they'll know where we are. Ryoko, do you know where this is?" A nod. "Good, good. Then we will head out now."  
"Now?" Kiyone queried. "But I thought you said we had at least a day!"  
"Yes, before the main fleet got here," Washu said. "They're already sending out cruiser ships to land here. Those ships, some of the fastest in the galaxy, will hit Earth's atmosphere in about five hours. Which means we don't have much time. I want everyone to suit up in their most maneuverable outifts, then we'll meet back here in a few hours."  
The group split up to go to their rooms. In less than ten minutes all of them were ready for battle. Mihoshi and Kiyone were in their Galaxy Police attire; Ryoko had the outfit she normally wore while flying Ryo-Ohki (the skin-tight red and black one); Aeka was dressed in a thinner dress than her usual three-layer ones; Tenchi was wearing the same thing he had worn when defeating Kagato, hoping it would give him good luck; Musashi and Kojiro were in their Rocket uniforms, being used to moving around a lot in them; Takeshi, Washu, Sasami, Nobuyuki and Yatsuhito had remained in what they had.   
"Ryoko, how many people can you take at a time?" Washu asked.  
"Two," was the reply.  
"Aeka and Tenchi, then Kiyone and Mihoshi, Musashi and Kojiro, Takeshi and myself, and Lord Katsuhito will be last." Washu turned to the older man. "You sure you want to do this? You aren't as young as you used to be."  
"I'll be fine," Katsuhito said calmly.   
Kiyone tossed Kojiro, Musashi and Takeshi a pair of laser guns. "You do know how to fire one, right?"  
"Yes," Musashi and Kojiro said immediately.  
"Yeah. I never have, unless you count video games, but... you just pull the trigger, right?" Takeshi asked, pointing it right at Kiyone with his finger pressing in on the trigger.  
"Ah-heh," Kiyone giggled nervously, gently pushing the gun away from herself, "you got it, Takeshi. Good luck, all three of you."  
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Washu pulled out some round spheres and handed them to the trio. "Here are your Pokéballs. You never know when you might need them."  
They stuck them into their pockets. "Thanks."  
Ryoko, who had already delivered Tenchi and Aeka, now came back for Kiyone and Mihoshi. Two-by-two, they were transported to the battle spot. The last group got there just as a bright pin-point of light shone in the sky, indicating where the cruiser was coming in.   
"Is everyone ready?" Washu asked.  
Tenchi gripped his sword; an orange ball was forming in Ryoko's hands; small version of her guardians surrounded Aeka; Kiyone and Mihoshi cocked their guns to the sky; Takeshi, Kojiro and Musashi held a Pokéball in one hand and their gun in the other; Washu herself had a small cannon hoisted on her shoulder- her own invention; and last, Katsuhito held a wooden sword deftly in one hand and a Jurai-Powerball in the other.  
"If anyone's going to turn back, this is the chance." No movement. "I thought so." Washu stared into the sky. "There's two ships coming down- they're expected to launch their attack in less than two minutes."  
"For Earth!"  
"For Jurai!"  
"For Nomékop!"  
Suddenly one of the ships flew in low over the group. The hatch was opened, and out flew nearly twenty Terans. Each held a powerful-looking gun. One shouted something in an unintelligable language, and the fight began.  
Everyone was causing considerable damage to the enemy. Several fell to the fight tactics the group used- Ryoko or one of the gunmen would shoot the Terans, causing them to lose their one advantage (flight), then Tenchi, Katsuhito, Aeka, and occasionally Ryoko would finish them off. Washu's deadly cannon was doing plenty of damage, and Ryoko was becoming quite a thorn in the Teran's sides. Darting here and there with her teleportation, she was always one step ahead of them. The Jurai bloodline, too, was incredibly strong. Tenchi used the sword and his own power well, as did Aeka, and Katsuhito showed that a wooden sword can be just a deadly as a Juraiian weapon or lazer gun.  
Even so, they were outnumbered, and beginning to exhaust. They had kept up this neverending battle with the tireless Terans for nearly five hours. The sun was just starting to go behind the trees when the apparent leader let out a screech of Teranese. A small group of the creatures came together, and all began to form powerballs in their clawed hands. They let out a blast that shook the forest, pummeling the group with rocks and dirt and leaving a crater in the ground. Another call from the leader, and within seconds the whole living fleet was back in their ships and gone.  
Ryoko wiped hair and dirt from her face. "That was a fast exit."  
"But they left us a nice present right before they left," Washu remarked, a hand clapped over one of her eyes, which had gotten hit by a rock.  
"It was... almost like... they were afraid of the darkness," Kiyone panted.  
The sword in Tenchi's hand disappeared. "Is everyone okay?"  
The small group heard a scream from Mihoshi. "Ah! Takeshi, you're bleeding! Medic! Medic!"  
"Mihoshi, it's all right... it's just a scratch."  
Ryoko disappeared, then came back with Mihoshi and Takeshi by the hands.  
"You okay, Takeshi?" Kiyone asked.  
"He's fine, other than the fact that he's getting smothered by Mihoshi," Ryoko chuckled. "Like he said, it's just a little scratch on the arm."  
Aeka looked around. "Oh, where are Musashi and Kojiro?"  
"Last time I checked they were up ahead a little- you don't think they got blown up by that last shot, do you?!" Kiyone exclaimed.  
"Hey! Hello?! Anybody?!" a familiar voice called.  
"We're over here! We can't get out!"  
The group rushed over to the crater, where the voices came from. At the bottom of the hole were Musashi and Kojiro, rubbing sore body parts.   
"You guys okay?" Tenchi wondered. "Anything broken?"  
"No," Kojiro told him as Ryoko flew down and pulled them up. "We were standing by the edge when the explosion came, and the ground collapsed. But we're all right."  
"We've mastered the Art of Hole-Falling," Musashi said jokingly, popping her neck.   
"Very well, then, everyone seems to be in one piece," Katsuhito spoke up, once again taking control. "Shall we go home and get cleaned up? I doubt that they will attack tonight, and if they do Washu will tell us."  
"Good idea, Grandpa," Tenchi agreed. "Ryoko, you'd better take Washu and Takeshi back first, since they're hurt."  
Ryoko followed Tenchi's directions. A few moments later she was back, "Musashi and Kojiro, right?"  
"Exactly. After that hole scare I should think they would like to go to bed early," Katsuhito nodded. "Next will be Aeka and Mihoshi, then Tenchi and Kiyone, and I will be last again." Ryoko was gone in a moment. "Ah, she'll make a good granddaughter-in-law."  
Tenchi blushed; Aeka looked away. "Grandpa..."

"What was the death toll for them?"   
It was the next day. Washu, one eye swelled shut, had called a small meeting with the others.  
"Fifteen, and two others were fatally wounded," Kiyone replied.  
"Only seventeen?" Ryoko questioned. "I know I hit more than that."  
"They took care of their own," Katsuhito said. "Those that were only minorly injured were carried back to the ship."  
"So exactly what percent of their numbers did we destroy?" Takeshi asked.  
Washu looked down. "Not even one." Back up, to face them. "But that's the least of our worries. They underestimated us the first time; they won't do it again. Next battle, they'll come back for blood, and they'll have better weapons and better war tactics. We won't be as lucky as we were." She grinned. "Speaking of which, don't I look pretty!?" She pointed to her swollen eye. "Blue and black are my colors, doncha think?"  
"This isn't the time for jokes!" Aeka growled. "Really, the entire planet is in danger and all you can do is laugh about it."  
"Washu has done much more than that, Princess Aeka," Katsuhito explained. "She has been up most of the night trying to get a reading on these creatures to find their weaknesses, and why they disappeared right at dusk."  
Aeka hastily apologized, but Washu ignored it and told all she knew. "I was able to get a DNA sample after the battle, and now that I've seen them face-to-face, I can tell you a little more than I could. They have excellent hearing and smell, but their eyesight is very bad, and in the dark they're nearly blind. Finding a spaceship- which has nearly no scent, as you know- would be like finding a needle in a haystack."  
"Which is good news, because that means they won't fight unless there's light," Tenchi concluded.  
"When are they gonna come back?" Musashi asked. "It's daylight now, and your little computer hasn't beeped yet."  
"I don't know, Musashi. I honstly can't give you any answer at this point. But I would guess that they have to tend to the wounded and recharge, so they probably won't launch an attack for at least a few days."   
"Recharge?" Mihoshi pondered.  
"I don't really get it either," Kojiro agreed.  
"Well, unlike our good friends Aeka, Ryoko, Tenchi and Lord Katsuhito," she nodded in their direction, "these little guys don't have power in unlimited amounts. Once they use a lot of it, they need to recharge."  
"Sorta like a battery!" Mihoshi broke in.   
Washu sweat-dropped. "Eh, yeah. So, anyway, that's to our advantage too, 'cause it gives us a little time to heal from our own bumps and bruises. And by the way, how are you all feeling?"  
"Great!"  
"Never better!"  
"A bit tired."  
"I'm okay."  
"Not hurt or anything."  
"A couple scratches, nothing to worry about."  
"Little sore from the fall, s'all."  
"Same here."  
"Nothing my old bones aren't used to."  
"Meow!" That coming from Ryo-Ohki, of course.  
"I figured as much! Now, why don't you all go out and relax a little? We've got some time on our hands, so you oughta spend it having fun!" Washu decided, ushering all but Katsuhito out of her lab.   
"You coming, Li'l Washu?" Tenchi queried.  
"Nah, I got some stuff to do, ya know. Just a little work, to see if I can learn anything else about our enemies," she said, waving a quick good-bye and closing the door.  
"It's worse than it seems." Katsuhito stated.  
No answer.  
"Am I right?"  
The slightest nod from Washu. "Like I said, they aren't idiots. The next time we meet them they're gonna pull out the heavy artillery. And they won't be taking prisoners."

Six days later.  
The group was once more stationed on the hillside, guns and swords ready to take on their deadly enemy. Washu gripped the cannon nervously, the only one besides Katsuhito who really knew the true danger of the situation. The first ship's hatch opened, and out flew the Terans, this time each carrying a large weapon similar to Washu's own blaster.  
The substance inside was anything but Washu's machine. The first ball to whiz by near Ryoko proved that.  
"It's acid!" she cried, rubbing the part of her ear that had been barely touched by the liquid. It was already starting to bleed- a lot.  
The battle broke out. Before long the Earth defenders weren't just fighting- they were fighting for their lives. The powerful guns were more than they could handle, destroying everything they touched. Trees, grass, even rocks melted underneath the extreme heat and poison.  
Ryoko, still untouchable, was as usual causing the most damage with her flit in-and-out tactic. Tenchi, Aeka, and Katsuhito held their own, what with the powerful Juraiian shields protecting them.   
The more mortal members of the group were having problems. The blobs of "acid" rained down on all sides, and it was hard enough just to keep from being hit, much less fire a shot. As a shot hit the ground, Washu quickly scooped up a sample in a test tube that wouldn't melt even if lava was put in it. She wanted to see exactly what they was up against.  
Musashi stopped for a moment to fire. As she looked up, she saw one of the deadly "acid" shots hailing down upon her. It was coming to fast- she knew she'd never be able to get out of the way. Musashi threw up an arm, hoping to protect some of her face.  
TSEW! TSEW!  
Musashi felt a very small drop of something burning hit her on the forehead. That was it? She looked around, to see tiny droplets of the once-acid cloud scattering to the ground. Glancing back, she saw Kojiro and Ryoko on either side, both aiming at where the ball had been. She smiled, wiping sweat from her head. The duo gave her the thumbs up sign, then ran off to handle other problems. Musashi couldn't help but smile, running her hand once more across her forehead. It was nice knowing you had friends watching your back.  
In another area of the clearing, Mihoshi and Kiyone were having problems of their own. A few of the aliens had landed, and were now surrounding them. They fired without effect- the Terans had shields to absorb the gun's energy.  
"Sorry, it has to end like this, Mihoshi," Kiyone said, ceasing fire after realizing it was pointless.  
"Oh Kiyone I don't wanna die!" Mihoshi wailed. "I wanna date Takeshi and throw parties and- and- WE'RE TOO YOUNG FOR THIS!"  
Suddenly one of the five Terans disappeared. He just... wasn't there anymore.  
"Huh?" the officers gaped, unsure of what was happening.  
The ground below another caved in without warning. And another, until the entire group had fallen to the Lord only knew where. A stony head popped up out of the dirt, and atop it sat a familiar figure.  
"Hello ladies. In need for assistance?"  
"Takeshi! You saved me! Oh! Takeshi..." Mihoshi threw herself around his neck, kissing him first on one cheek, then the other.  
Somehow the young breeder managed pull himself away from Mihoshi. "Hey, it's no big deal, Mihoshi. Onix did most of the work."  
Nothing could stop the over-joyed Galaxy Detective. "Takeshi you're so sweet, and brave, and just the best guy I've ever known! I thought I was gonna die for sure but you saved my life!"  
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone snapped. "Those five may be out of the way for now, but there's still plenty more in the sky. If you're not careful both of you will get killed by that acid stuff!" She turned to Takeshi. "What about those guys down there?"  
Takeshi snapped his fingers, and Onix immediately filled in the holes he had dug. "We don't need to worry about them anymore."  
The sun began to sink behind the clouds. Just in time, too, for some of the group felt as if they would collapse from exhaustion. After the same power-shot as they had fired yesterday, the remaining members of the Terans fleet escaped into their ships and back into the sky.  
"Head count!" Katsuhito called. "Ryoko, Tenchi, Aeka?"  
"All present and accounted for," Aeka answered.  
"Kiyone? Mihoshi? Takeshi?"  
"Here!" Kiyone replied.  
"Washu? Kojiro? Musashi?"  
"Uh, I'm here," Washu said. "But I don't see Kojiro or Musashi anywhere."  
Ryoko thought for a moment. "Now, I saved her from that acid-ball... oh, right! I saw Kojiro just as the fight ended. He told me he was gonna go find her, 'cause he hadn't seen her since."  
"Everyone look for them," Washu commanded. "If you find them bring them back here and wait for the rest of us. If no one sees any sign in, say, fifteen minutes, come back. Got that?"  
A nod, then the group split up to find their friends.

Musashi watched as the last Terans ship flew off. She wiped sweat out of her eyes for about the fifteenth time. "Geez, I haven't been this hot in years."  
Musashi rubbed her glove on her skirt. As she looked down, she jumped slightly. Her skirt was covered in blood! The Rocket put a hand to her forehead, then pulled it away. With a start she realized that it hadn't been sweat at all.  
"Must've been when that glob hit me earlier," she decided, suddenly noticing how much it hurt.   
Just then Kojiro came around a tree. "Musa-chan, are you- oh! You're bleeding!" He started to run to her.  
"Yeah. I think it was from that acid ball," she told him, ripping off part of her uniform and tying it around her head like a bandana. "I oughta be okay, though-" Musashi stumbled, but Kojiro got their in time to hold her up.  
"Oh, yeah, you're fine," Kojiro said sarcastically. "Did you just now tie that up?"  
She nodded, leaning on him for support. "I didn't notice it until now. I didn't have a chance."  
"Lord, that was nearly three hours ago. You prob'ly lost a lot of blood."  
"Hey, you know me, Kojiro, I'll live. I am kinda tired, though..."  
"Well, yeah, we all are."  
A voice through the woods reached their ears. "Musashi? Kojiro? If you're not here, then at least tell me!"  
Kojiro waved an arm. "Ryoko! We're over here!"  
In a few moments the space pirate had flown to where she'd heard his voice. "There you are! Everyone's worried! Hurry up, let's get back to the main clearing..." she landed next to the two. "Hey, Musa, you're bleeding! You gonna be all right?"  
"When has a little cut done anything Musashi Mahiru?" she asked rhetorically. "Yeah, you guys oughta stop worrying about me. It's nothing."  
Ryoko let out a short laugh. "Oh, yeah, and the blood all over your skirt encourages that, too." She looped an arm around Musashi's side, opposite Kojiro. "Hang on, I'll teleport us back and get you home ASAP."  
In half a second they were back in the clearing. Musashi leaned hard on Kojiro, complaining about being dizzy.  
"Nice going, Ryoko," Kojiro chided. "That weird feeling during teleportation got to her."  
Ryoko shrugged. "Would you have preferred to walk her back? You were pretty far from 'Home Base.'" She stopped when she saw the look on his face. "Wow, you're really worried about her, huh?"  
"Uh, well, you could, um, say that..." he muttered, looking away.  
"You're sweet, Kojiro," Musashi said, yawning and rubbing her forehead. "That's nice of you to care like that."  
There was an awkward pause on Ryoko and Kojiro's parts- Kojiro was wondering exactly how much blood she'd lost to make her say that, and Ryoko was curious if she'd finally beaten her RDS.  
"Musa-chan..." Kojiro began, hoping he wasn't about to say what he thought he was. "I..."  
"Ryoko? That you?" Tenchi wondered from between some trees. "Did you find Musashi and Kojiro?"  
"Got 'em!" Ryoko shouted back. "Come on back, we'll wait for the others!"  
In a few minutes (and after much fussing over Musashi) the whole gang was back together.  
"Without a doubt the young lady Musashi will go home first," Katsuhito said quickly. "Take care of her, Ryoko, and make sure Sasami and Nobuyuki clean that cut out well."  
"Oh! Kiyone, are you limping?" Mihoshi asked suddenly.  
All eyes focused on the police officer, who had been the last to return to the main area.   
She grinned wryly. "Just being a clumsy fool. I twisted it in a rut when I was dodging one of those acid things. I ought to be fine."  
"But Kiyone, you were limping pretty bad and it looks all swollen-"  
Kiyone clapped a hand over her partner's mouth. "You talk too much, you know that?"  
Katsuhito nodded decisively. "I appreciate your tough act, Miss Kiyone, but even my old eyes can tell from here that that is a nasty sprain. You'd better take her home along with Musashi."  
"But if someone else is in worse condition I-" the sentence was never finished, as Ryoko teleported away.  
"Who else is hurt?"   
They looked from one to the other, laughing nervously. The rest of the group looked pretty much the same- battered, brusied, scratched and exhausted. Washu was the only one who didn't join in the tension/relief giggle; she seemed to be in another world, mumbling something unintelligible under her breath. In one hand was the tube filled with the acid-like material.   
"What's that, Washu?" Tenchi asked.  
"Hm?" She looked up, caught by surprise. "Uh, just some of that stuff they were shooting at us. I need to... study it..." and she was gone again, lost in thought.  
Ryoko appeared. "Who's next?"  
"Um, Washu, so she can get to work on that..." Tenchi was about to call Mihoshi next, but saw the anxious look on Kojiro face. Tenchi bit down a smile- Kojiro was worried. "Kojiro, too."  
They were gone in a moment.  
"Grandpa, I want you and Aeka to go home next," Tenchi said. Before the elder man could protest, Tenchi added, "I want you to give Washu a hand with that stuff. Between the two of you you'll probably be able to figure out what our enemy has in a couple days."  
Katsuhito nodded, glad to see his grandson assuming command.  
Little by little, the group was taken home, until Tenchi was the only one left. Ryoko found him, leaning against a tree and looking up at the night sky.  
"You think we can beat them?" Ryoko whispered.  
"No," was the blunt reply. "I don't know if we can hold them off long enough for Jurai to get here. They're powerful, Ryoko, and if they get even more powerful weapons then they had today... two people are already out of commision, Kiyone for at least a few weeks. How much longer till we're all unable to fight? Then we'll be easy pickings."  
"Tenchi..." Ryoko put an arm around him and hugged him close from behind. "When have we ever lost? Together, our group is unstoppable. I know it."  
He sighed. "I hope you're right." Seeing Ryoko's worried look, Tenchi quickly put on a smile. "I'm sure you're right! They don't have a chance! Now, let's head back home. I bet Sasami made a nice dinner."

"How hopeless is it?" Katsuhito asked as soon as he closed the door to Washu's lab.  
"Very, very bad," came the reply. "But all hope isn't lost." She held the tube in front of her, studying the liquid. "It's not acid, that's for sure. But... I've never seen anything quite like it."  
"Yamanna Fluid."  
Washu looked up. "Lord Katsuhito, this isn't the time for jokes."  
"No joke. I recognized it immediately. I've only seen it in science books, but we were taught how to recognize it. That is Yamanna Fluid, for certain."  
A pause, then, "You're right. I'd never even considered that an option before, but upon closer inspection... how did they ever get ahold if it? And in such large amounts?"  
"No doubt they captured a few of the creatures. All you would have to do was rile one up. Once it spit out enough of the liquid, you could collect it and use it in guns." Katsuhito took the vial from Washu's hand and held it to the light. "Our enemy's have travelled quite a few places, haven't they?"  
"Yamanna Fluid. Carried by Yammanas, a race of non-sentient, but aggressive aliens," Washu said to herself, trying to remember everything she knew about it. "Contains high levels of acidity, which is why it destroyed so much and burns right through human skin... Lord Katsuhito, I'm 700 years rusty, but doesn't it also have a deadly poison?" A nod. "Who all was hit?"   
"Ryoko and Musashi is all, I believe. It's a slow type of poison, though- our friends still have time." Washu stood up fast. "How much longer do they have?"  
"Maybe an hour, an hour and a half," Katsuhito replied evenly. He didn't seem as disturbed as Washu- in fact, he seemed almost to think this nothing to worry about.  
"How can you be so calm?!" Washu snapped. "They're going to die soon!"  
"Relax, friend," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "There is an antidote. Oddly enough, it's the same poison that could mean their doom. All you need to do is mix in some sap from Ryu-Oh, then put it on the wound. I'll get the sap; do you think you can tell Tenchi to lay Ryoko and Musashi down? Tell them to stay calm- everything will be fine if we work fast."

Kojiro leapt off the floor, practically running into Washu. "Well? Is Musashi going to be okay?!"  
"Everything's under control," the scientist said. "She got the antidote in time."  
"And Ryoko?" Tenchi asked just as anxiously.  
"Safe, too. Both of them are asleep, as is Kiyone, and it'd be in your best interests to do the same," Washu smiled as both boys let out a sigh of relief. "It's so sweet to see to young men worried about their girlfriends." She cupped her hands under chin, eyes going googly. "Ah, to be a teen again!"  
Kojiro blushed. "Girlfriend? Er..."  
"Washu, you're a mess," Tenchi chuckled. "I'll take your advice and get to sleep. We have six days, right?"  
"Yes." Washu started to walk off. "Enjoy them- they might be your last."  
Kojiro and Tenchi grimaced at the last comment, looking nervously at each other.  
"She doesn't sugar-coat stuff, does she?" Kojiro asked.  
"'Fraid not," Tenchi groaned. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."  
Kojiro turned to go to his room, Washu's last words ringing in his ears. "Final days... worst part is... she could be right."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

Washu: Okay team, it's either killed or be killed, and it ain't gonna be the second one! So here's the plan...  
Ryoko: Just leave it to me and Tenchi...! Oh, Aeka, you can help too.  
Aeka: Tenchi, please be careful! Don't you dare get yourself killed!  
Mihoshi: This is too scary! I can't watch!  
Kojiro: Next in the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for Spaceships!  
Musashi: It's unquestionably dangerous!

[Episode Six: No Need for Spaceships][7]

[PokéMuyo!  
][8][Back to the Rocket Corner!][9]

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	6. Episode Six: No Need for Spaceships

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Episode Six

Episode Six:   
  
No Need for Spaceships

Tenchi practically collapsed on the Masaki couch, almost knocking an exhausted Aeka over in the process. Ryoko floated in the air, preferring it to standing on her feet. Everyone else was strewn about the floor, breathing heavily and rubbing bumps, bruises and cuts.  
"We can't keep this up much longer," Ryoko groaned as Sasami treated an Yammana cut and bandaged it up. "They're just too tough. Is anyone else out of action?"   
"I think my wrist might be broken," Takeshi commented.  
"Oh! Takeshi let me look at it!" Sasami cried, finishing Ryoko quickly and running over. "You should have said something earlier! That looks real bad! Father, I'm going to need something for a splint!"  
"That's three who won't be fighting next time," Tenchi muttered. "Kiyone can't run, Musashi's still a little shaky, now Takeshi..."  
"Four," Katsuhito corrected. "Washu has a nasty Yamanna burn on her foot."  
Ryoko clenched a fist. Angrily she slammed it into the wall, leaving a small dent in the process. "Blast this war! If we don't all die in a few days we'll be too weak and tired to fight back anyway!"  
"Don't lose hope," Aeka tried to boost some moral. "Jurai is on it's way. If we can only hold them off for six or seven more attacks-"  
"Give it up, Princess! Jurai's not gonna get here in time! And even if we do hold them off a little bit longer, by the time your Precious Army gets here half the earth will be a charred lump!" Ryoko snapped angrily.  
Mihoshi sniffled. "You're right, Ryoko. We're doomed! We're all gonna die, and I don't wanna die!"  
"It's okay, Mihoshi. We aren't going to die," Takeshi did his best to give her a one-handed hug, glaring daggers at Ryoko.  
Kojiro sighed from across the room, looking out a window despairingly. "What I wouldn't give to be getting electrocuted by Pikachu. At least I know it won't kill me given the chance."  
"Kagato was easier then this," Tenchi remarked.  
"Kain was easier then this," Ryoko added.  
"The Galaxy Police was a snap compared to who we are fighting," Aeka continued.  
"Jurai's military was easier," Kiyone, who had made her way downstairs when they got home, went on.  
"Tessei and Tetta would've been simpler to defeat," Katsuhito put in, remembering the story of the dark warriors Kamidake and Azaka had fought.  
"I'd even take a ticked-off Kasumi," Takeshi commented.  
"Or Musashi," Kojiro agreed, shooting his friend a little smile.  
"Or Kojiro in a dress," she shot right back.  
"I'd sooner eat Ryoko's cooking!" Mihoshi piped up.  
They burst into nervous laughter.   
Washu, who had limped up quite painfully from her lab to tell the group some news, was surprised to see them all giggling at an unknown joke. "Well look at you! I hope you haven't gone crazy from the fighting" her eyes flashed dangerously "because we've only begun to battle."  
Tenchi looked over the back of the couch at the scientist. "Do you have a plan, Washu?"  
"Darn right I do! Don't I always?" she grinned sweetly. "You wouldn't think someone this cute was so smart, would you!?"  
Aeka sweat-dropped. "Uh, Miss Washu, do you suppose you could tell us of your idea?"  
Washu waved a hand to the front door. "Outside." As they began to file past, she coughed a few times. Getting no response, Washu exclaimed. "Hey! Isn't anyone going to help me out? This burn hurts, ya know! Imagine, a sweet girl like myself having to limp all the way!"  
Katsuhito leant her a hand, and together they trailed the rest of the troupe. Once out by the lake, Washu sat down and began to type furiously on her holo computer. "I've been working on this project since the first day I found out about our alien friends. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, because even I wasn't sure if it would work, but this IS the greatest genius in the universe we're talking about-"  
"Quit babbling and tell us what's happening!" Musashi said impatiently.  
"No need to shout, I was getting to that," Washu explained calmly. An image appeared in front of them of a huge Teranese ship. "From day one, I realized the Terans were as much a colonial race as a nomadic one. They pass information, and energy, between each other telepathically. Their mother ship, similar to a high-tech beehive, houses their leaders- the only real brains in the bunch- who give the rest of the group health, knowledge, and other useful bits. Take out the mother ship, and the rest of the group is hopelessly lost. They'll live, but only for a short time, with no one to guide and tell them what planet to attack or how to survive."  
"Like cutting off the head of a cockroach!" Mihoshi summed up.  
"Exactly!" Washu agreed.   
Aeka ventured to speak up. "But Miss Washu, how do you plan on destroying this mother ship?"  
"So glad you asked, Aeka, since you'll be a part of it," Washu typed more onto her keyboard. In a few moments a black hole opened before Washu and out popped a handheld device and a controller. "This is a high-tech bomb, created by yours truly. When placed at the heart of a machine, and detonated, it has enough power to totally take out even something as heavily protected as a Teran's Mothership. But, the thing is, someone needs to PUT it there."  
"I can see where this is going," Tenchi said dryly.  
Washu pointed to Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko. "That's where you come in, my little warriors! I'd do it myself, but the truth is I don't have your powers, plus this blasted foot... but that's all right, because I have total faith in you!"  
Ryoko gave the "victory" sign. "Don't worry about a thing, Washu! We can take out that ship like it was nothing!" She grabbed Tenchi around the shoulder. "You just leave everything to us! Nothing can defeat the true power of love, right Tenchi-chan?"  
"I don't see how you can be so peppy," Tenchi muttered.  
"Oh, dear." Aeka set her jaw resolutely. "Well, Miss Washu, if that is what it takes to save Earth then I am behind the plan a hundred percent... what, exactly, is the plan?"  
More typing. "It's complex, and I'll need everyone to follow my exact orders if we want it to work." Another image appeared in front of the slightly perplexed group. "Here's the plan. Kiyone and Mihoshi will fly in Yugami- along with Nobuyuki and Lord Katsuhito- to take out any smaller ships who may try to come to their leader's rescue. I also need to be in Yugami to detonate the bomb- I can't do it from here, I need to be close by. Ryo-Ohki" a mew from the cabbit "will take Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko to the entrance of the ship. Sasami, I hate to involve you in this, but since you're the only one besides Ryoko and Tenchi who Ryo-Ohki will listen to..."  
"That's okay, Washu! I can handle it!" Sasami assured her.  
"Great. Takeshi, you'll be with her. You're good with animals, and kids, so if something happens to Sasami you should be able to take care of her and direct Ryo-Ohki." She glanced at Tenchi and the other two girls. "Once you plant that bomb, contact me. I'll hook up a headset between myself and Ryoko. As soon as the bomb is strapped on- it's got a system so that once it's connected no one can take it off- tell me and get the heck out of there. You'll need to hurry, because once it's set I only have five minutes in which I can hit the trigger."  
"That all? It seems so simple," Aeka said sarcastically.  
"There's more. We're going to need someone to distract the mothership. If they're worried about another ship, they won't all be able to try and stop Tenchi, Ryoko and Aeka. That'll make things easier for us. That's where my latest invention comes in." Frantic typing, another black hole, and a small ship barely big enough to hold three people comfortably appeared. "This is what I like to call Little Washu's Mosquito! It's easily the fastest, most maneuverable, and smallest ship in the galaxy."  
"It looks impressive," Ryoko complimented, no stranger to spaceships.   
"That's because it is!" Washu was never modest. "It's made for two people- one to pilot and one to fire. The weapon is strong, but because of the size of the ship the cannon isn't large enough to cause any real damage. Even so, this baby will definitely give the Terans something to worry about." The ship hovered above the lake a few seconds longer, before finally coming to a landing near the shore. Washu turned to face the crowd. "There's just one question- who's going to fly it? It either has to be Musashi, Kojiro, Nobuyuki or Lord Katsuhito."  
"We'll do it," the Rocket duo said immediately.   
"We've piloted just about anything you can think of," Kojiro explained. "Balloons, subs, cars, boats, blimps... basically, we'll be able to learn fast."  
"And we've handled weapons before," Musashi put in. "Our aim will be on."  
Washu grinned. "Somehow I knew you'd be the ones to volunteer. Risk-takers, I like that. You do realize, of course, that you'll only have five days to learn."  
Kojiro gulped. "Five?"  
"I have a program you can go through, and a virtual reality set-up so you won't need to try out the ship right away, but you're going to have to work like dogs, from nine to nine. Still wanna do it?"  
A pause, then both nodded simultaneously.  
"Great." Washu turned her attention to the others. "This is our last chance. We can't fail. But, if we do..." she bit her lip. "We leave. We fly our butts to a safe planet."  
"But what about Earth?" Tenchi protested.  
"There wouldn't be anything left that we could do," Washu said quietly. "Fighting's useless- why prolong the inevitable? Besides, I want to see as many of you out of here alive as possible."  
"I won't abandon my home!" Tenchi snapped, almost violently.  
"And I won't abandon Tenchi!" Ryoko agreed. "If he stays, then so would I."  
"As shall I remain," Aeka added. She gave Tenchi a small smile. "Even though you don't care for me like I hoped, I couldn't leave you. My heart wouldn't let me."  
Ryoko rolled her eyes.  
"Earth's my home just as much as Jurai is now. I wouldn't leave it no matter what," Sasami continued. Kiyone, too, made a small speech. "Mihoshi and I were assigned to protect this region long ago. Even if, since then, I've gotten a promotion, I still consider it my duty as a Galaxy Police officer to protect the innocent and defend peace."   
"Yeah, what she said!" Mihoshi agreed, nodding vigorously.  
"I wouldn't leave Mihoshi's side if she was in danger. She stays; I stay," Takeshi put in.  
Musashi nodded, clenching her fists. "I'm always on the look-out for a good fight!"  
"That's right!" Kojiro added a typical 'Nyasu' line.  
Washu closed her eyes, smiled, and shook her head in amazement. "You're unbelievable." She shrugged. "Well, if you wanna risk your lives, don't come crying to me when we all get our head's blown off." Washu gave a devilish grin. "Just let me get a chance at 'em first!"  
"And, now that that is settled," Katsuhito began, speaking for the first time since they'd entered the yard. "I suppose we all should begin to work on our tasks. Everyone has an important role to play, and I hope you will do whatever you can to fulfill it."  
"What about you, Grandfather?" Sasami asked.   
"I," his glasses flashed as he grinned, "will be supervising. Which means no one will rest until the job is done. Now get to work, all of you; we have a very busy five days ahead of us."

A dizzy Musashi staggered out of the spaceship after her first testflight. "That was wild."  
"I didn't know you could have triple-vision," Kojiro said sarcastically, waving a hand in front of his face. "I swear, there are ten of everything."  
Washu walked up to them, all smiles. "Have fun!?"  
"That was nothing like the Virtual Reality set-up!" Musashi snapped, barely maintaining her balance as she yelled it.  
"You could have given us a little more warning!" Kojiro added to the scolding. "We've never been into space before, and THAT thing is the fastest ship in the galaxy!"  
"Universe," Washu corrected. "Don't worry so much. You're coming along great. I mean, we've only been working for two days and you've already aced the V.R. with flying colors."  
"And all I'm seeing are flying colors!" Musashi said sharply. She put a hand on Kojiro shoulder to keep from falling. "I don't know how you expect me to shoot while we're doing that."  
"I can barely see where I'm going as it is," Kojiro complained. "If I don't crash us the ship'll overdrive and explode."  
"Relax. You haven't crashed it yet, have you? We have a lot of time left. Now," Washu rubbed her hands together, "who's up for another spin around the block?"  
The Rocket duo slid to the ground, sighing.

Tenchi, Aeka, and Ryoko were having a time with their training also. Katsuhito and Washu had made a ring where they could work on attacking Terans that were coming from all angles. Part Virtual Reality, part android; one tough workout.  
"No, no, no!" Katsuhito stopped them once again. "You have to have at least one person watching your back at all times! If you don't, an enemy could sneak up and slice you through before you have a chance to think."  
"I don't think in battle!" Ryoko exclaimed, slamming the V.R. headset down in frustration. "A trained fighter like me doesn't worry about trivial things like strategy and planning- in the middle of a big fight you have to rely on instinct!"  
"I'm afraid I must agree with Ryoko," Aeka got the nerve to say. "Though I always keep my head in battle, unlike some, I tend to lean more on my natural abilities of Jurai Power and skills."  
"Those skills being-?" Ryoko questioned irritably.  
"Grandpa, all those things you taught me while I was growing up were based on instinct," Tenchi reminded him. "Once you learn the move, you let your body take over and do it automatically. Like you used to tell me- you have to feel the battle more then see it."  
He looked at the ground. In a moment, the Juraiian veteran looked up again, smiling. "You have too sharp of a memory for your own good, Tenchi. I did say that." The three relaxed, thinking they wouldn't have to do this exercise anymore. Katsuhito, before they could blink, and smacked each on the head- twice- with his wooden staff. "But if you don't think part of the time, you'll forget how many minutes you have left in that spaceship before Washu has to detonate. Physical readiness, mental readiness, and awareness go hand-in-hand. Remember that one, too, Tenchi."

Two Days Later...  
Musashi shot down three enemy-droids in three quick shots, while Kojiro expertly dodged other droid's firing at the same time. The ship whirled in a millisecond, and as it did Musashi caused four more ships to explode. Kojiro pulled the Mosquito in for a landing. They looked at each other, slapping hands.   
"They don't have a prayer."  
"Behind you, Tenchi!" Ryoko warned. Tenchi ducked as she blasted the VR Terans to bits. Aeka projected a shield and zapped a couple Terans at the same time. Tenchi moved quickly, using Sword Tenchi as he had been taught. Ryoko covered their back.   
As the last fake Teran was killed, the trio took off their V.R. face-masks and looked at each other happily. Katsuhito smiled. "I think you are ready."

The very next day. Time for action.  
"We'll fly up around ten," Washu explained. "It'll take us a few hours to clear the atmosphere and get to where their mother ship is stationed. It's a little ways past the moon, so we have a moderately quick flight ahead of us. Once there... we do what we've practiced." She looked Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi up-and-down. "Good luck. You're going to need it." She passed the small bomb to Tenchi, who strapped it on like a backpack. Washu also gave Ryoko a small earring/walkie-talkie, so the two could communicate when needed. The scientist faced the whole group, again. Her serious look turned into a smile. "Now, let's go kill some Terans!"

Kojiro sat behind the control, leaning back in preparation for the battle ahead of him. One hand drummed nervously by the shift. He glanced over at Musashi. She was sitting, gripping the firing controls. She ran a hand through her hair, today tied up in a bun.   
'This might be the last time I ever see her,' Kojiro thought suddenly.   
She looked over. "What's up? Something wrong?"  
He turned the other way hastily. "N-nothing, no."  
'If I die during this,' he thought, 'without ever telling her...' he shot another look at her. 'This is as good a time as any. I have to get up the courage eventually, and this might be my only chance... oh well, here goes nothing.'  
Kojiro cleared his throat. "Um, Musashi... uh, we could die during this, you know."  
'Oh, nice pick-up line,' he groaned to himself.  
"I know," she said calmly.  
"Well, Musa-chan, it's just... if I died without ever telling you this... the truth is, that... I, uh... ya see... when I called you a tyrant and a dominatrix... I never meant it 'cause... well, I really... that is to say... I love-"  
"Don't say it, Kojiro," Musashi interrupted.   
Kojiro stiffened. 'She knows! She knows I love her! But I thought I'd always been so careful. How could she?'  
Much to his surprise, Musashi put a hand atop his drumming fingers, quieting the noise. "Because I feel the same way. And if you said it, I might start crying, and I can't shoot Teran ships if I've got tears in my eyes."  
He met her eyes for the first time in a while, realizing suddenly that all those times she'd smacked him and called him an idiot were a cover-up. "Really?"  
"Would I lie about that?" she asked. She averted her eyes back to the front window and said, as the Musashi he knew: "You'd better get ready. Yugami's about to take off."  
The word's couldn't be said, but the feeling was there as Kojiro started up the ship and zipped out of it's makeshift port. They glanced at each other once, then turned back, both blushing violently. Musashi smiled. She'd finally defeated the RDS.   
'I did it,' Kojiro thought happily. 'And I didn't get beaten for it, either.' He, though, wasn't smiling. 'Too bad it could be the last thing that ever happens.'

Ryo-Ohki flipped this way and that, trying to avoid the blasts of the mothership. One glanced off her left wing, causing a nasty burn. She howled in pain, firing a barrage back.  
Ryoko, inside, winced too. "Those guns are powerful. Even a small blast like that head on could blow up a wing."  
"It's okay Ryo-Ohki, you can do this!" Sasami encouraged.  
"Meow!"  
Takeshi, this being his first time in space, had been chosen to take the only chair in the ship. Looking rather green in the face, he managed to gasp out, "We almost there?"  
"Just about," Ryoko announced, pursing her lips as another shot zipped by, barely grazing the bottom. "Blast. They've got decent aim."  
"Please don't tell me we just did a 360," Takeshi moaned.  
"I won't tell you, then," Ryoko agreed, grinning wickedly.  
He looked down at his feet, still planted on the ship's floor. "Good gravity control, I guess."  
Sasami put her hand on his. "It's okay, Takeshi. You'll get used to it after a while. Thanks for agreeing to come."  
"No problem, Sasam-" the ship lurched, and Takeshi had to put a hand over his mouth.   
"Hey! I just got new leather on that chair!" Ryoko snapped. "Don't dirty up the goods. There's a bathroom if you feel like staggering to it."  
"I'll take you," Sasami volunteered, letting Takeshi lean heavily on her as he fought to maintain some balance on the ship. It swirved violently to the left, causing all of them- with the exception of Ryoko- to lose their footing and fall face-first to the floor.  
"Son of a Growlithe," Takeshi cursed, landing hard on his broken wrist.  
Ryoko threw back her head and laughed.  
"Can you get up?" Sasami asked, getting up to her knees.  
"Think so-" the ship jerked again, and while everyone else managed to stay up, Takeshi once again sprawled across the floor. He put his head in his hands, grinning weakly. "You know what? It's sort of comfortable down here, so I might as well just hang out at this level."  
Sasami patted his head comfortingly. "I guess some people weren't meant to fly."  
Ryoko howled even louder.   
"Ryoko!" the voice of Washu snapped in her ear. "This isn't the time to be goofing off! Get in that ship!"  
"If you could see the visual... you'd be laughing too..." Ryoko chuckled.  
"Laugh later, if we get out of this! Hurry up!"  
The space pirate regained her composure. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going." Two small laser blasts to the right showed Ryoko that The Mosquito had arrived. "Great, the calvalry's come. Time to get started."  
She put Ryo-Ohki at full speed, getting close enough to throw out the docking board.   
"Hurry, both of you, we have to move fast before they send out troupes to stop us!" Tenchi urged, moving the girls on. He waved a quick good-bye to Sasami and Takeshi.   
"Take care, Tenchi," Sasami said.  
He smiled. "Same to you. We'll see you in a few, then." And he was gone.  
"You gonna stay here?" Sasami asked Takeshi. A nod. She stood up, going to the front of Ryo-Ohki. "Okay Ryo-Ohki, pull away! We'll have to come back when Washu gives us the signal, but right now you're gonna have to dodge some lasers! Let's go!"  
Ryo-Ohki yowled happily, in her element. The game was on.

"Washu did build this thing with a shield, right?" Kojiro asked, doing a 180 to avoid some beams.   
One blast managed to hit the ship. It shook violently, but remained intact. "Guess so," Musashi replied, letting off five quick blasts to blow up a small fighter ship and hit the mother one. "Haha! Tauros' eye!"(Bull's eye for you Earth-bound readers)  
"Uh, Musashi..." Kojiro began.   
"Yeah?" she asked, shooting someone else.  
"There's about four fighter ships coming this way. They're powering up... five on the left, too!" Kojiro exclaimed, swiveling as fast as possible to face the attackers. "We've got laser shots coming in from both sides, and the mothership fired one off too."  
"Ten total, right? Can we dodge 'em?" Musashi asked.  
"I can only dodge half, and those things are powerful" Kojiro explained. He looked over. "It's been great, Musa-chan. See you in the afterlife."  
She gritted her teeth, knowing it was true. "Dodge the five. I'll shoot down a few. At least we'll take some with us to _da_-"  
The remaining five impacted. The ship was jolted around on all sides, and everything went dark.  
A few moments later, the lighting system came back on. Kojiro rubbed his head, where he'd hit it on the front of the ship, glancing from side-to-side. "We aren't dead?"  
"Guess not," Musashi confirmed, trying to figure out why.  
A screen, projected from Yugami, popped up in front of them. "Are you all right? What happened? We saw the lasers impact, and I thought you'd explode for sure," Kiyone said quickly.  
Washu shoved her out of the way. "That's what happens when Little Washu patents a product! It's got a 50-laser hit guarantee, or you're money back!"  
Musashi scanned the sky for the remaining ships. "Where are the rest that fired on us?"  
"We took care of them," Kiyone explained, coming back on. "Washu contacted Ryoko. They're about halfway through the ship. You've still got some work to do."  
"Have fun you two lovebirds!" Washu added, giving them a thumbs-up. The screen went blank.  
Musashi and Kojiro stared at each other blankly.  
"How did she know we-"  
"Maybe she's got a microphone in here."  
They shrugged, laughing.  
"I'll be sure to smack her around later," Musashi decided, keeping her eye out for other fighter planes. "Let's zone in on the mothership and show them why they call it the Mosquito."  
"Sounds good to me," Kojiro grinned, flying them in close. "After that scare I'm ready to put a thorn in their sides."

"Tenchi! Head's up!" Ryoko warned, burning a Terans to a firy crisp.  
Aeka projected her shield around herself and Ryoko; Tenchi having his own. At the same time she managed to trap a Teran with her smaller versions of her guardians, giving it a zap that sent it to the netherworld.  
"That's the last of this batch," Tenchi announced. "Let's move fast before the next one shows up."  
The trio ran down the hall, Ryoko keeping an eye out from the way they came. Tenchi skidded to a halt, Aeka and Ryoko bumping into him.  
"What's the hold-up?" Ryoko questioned.  
"We're here," Tenchi stated. "Washu said the middle of the ship would look something like a big control panel."  
Ryoko and Aeka turned their eyes to the scene ahead of them. A deep crevasse seperated them from a domed building in the middle of the chasm. Several lighted panels blinked inside, but there were no Terans to be found.  
"How do they work it?" Tenchi wondered.  
"They must control it telepathically," Aeka decided. "Who shall venture in there?"  
Ryoko was already unstrapping the bomb from Tenchi. "I'll get it. I am the only one who can fly, after all."  
"Be careful. There might be a force field," Tenchi advised.  
"Hey, when am I not?" Looks from Tenchi and Aeka. "Right. I'll be fine. Be back in a few."  
She flew up, making it to the dome with little trouble but a small motion-sensored blaster. She destroyed it easily, and reached the building. There didn't seem to be any doors, not that it bothered Ryoko, who just phased through the wall. Inside, nothing met her either except one of the motion-sensor machines. Obviously the Terans had never figured anyone would get to the middle, especially a talented space pirate and Juraiian royalty. Ryoko clipped the bomb onto one of the control panels; a shield popped up immediately, stopping anyone from simply removing the weapon.  
Ryoko dusted off her gloves. "Ah, a job well done. I got the bomb planted, Washu."  
"Get out! You've only got five minutes!" Washu commanded.  
"Yeah, I'm going," Ryoko muttered. "1000-year old witch."  
"I heard that. And I'm not a day past 800, I'll have you know."  
The pirate rolled her eyes and flew back to Tenchi and Aeka. "Washu says we have to go. Let's move."  
They'd barely taken two steps when several Terans stepped out to meet them. After a minor fight, they were killed, and the three fighters could move on.  
"You got three minutes!" Washu warned. "Where are you?"  
"Not quite halfway back, I think!" Ryoko answered. "Ah, crap! There's more coming!"  
Another ten or twelve Terans blocked their path. As they were fighting, the aliens tried to use a strategy for once; very slowly they drew Aeka and Ryoko away from Tenchi, hoping to finish him off. Neither girl saw it before they were completely blocked from Tenchi and only faced by a couple enemies.  
"Go on!" Tenchi called. "Get back to Ryo-Ohki, quick!"  
"Tenchi!" Aeka cried.  
Ryoko thought fast. "Aeka, stay here. I'll be back." She disappeared, and in a moment was at Tenchi's side. He was surrounded by Terans, all bearing jagged claws and just about to dive in for the kill. "You stay away from my Tenchi!" She let off a powerful blast that lit up the hallway.   
Aeka shielded her eyes, holding up another hand to ward of bits of Terans. When she could see again, all that was standing between the Princess and Tenchi and Ryoko were charred bits of aliens.  
"I didn't know you could do that," Aeka said, obviously impressed.  
Ryoko grinned. "Neither did I." She turned to Tenchi. "Are you hurt?"  
"They got me on my left side. Kind of deep," Tenchi told her, wincing.  
Ryoko practically slung him over her shoulder. "Poor Tenchi."  
"Ryoko! You have a minute! Can you get out or not?" Washu demanded. "I need to know if I can detonate!"  
Ryoko looked around. They'd never be able to reach Ryo-Ohki in time. Unless... "Yes, Washu, you will be able to detonate. Aeka, get over here!" Aeka picked her way through the bodies until she was standing next to Ryoko. The pirate grabbed her hand. Quickly she sent a message to Ryo-Ohki to pull out of the mother ship's harbor. She concentrated on the cockpit of Yugami...  
"Ryoko!"  
She opened her eyes to see Mihoshi scrambling over to her. "You're alive! Oh wow! Where'd you come from?"  
"Nice trick," Washu conceded. "Kiyone, tell the others to get away. I have thirty seconds to bomb it."  
Kiyone did as she said, while Mihoshi and Ryoko helped Tenchi into a chair.   
"Good job, all three of you. You deserve a good rest and a big dinner when we get home," Nobuyuki congratulated.  
"Rest sounds best," Ryoko breathed, laughing a little at her unintentional rhyme.  
"Hey guys! Wanna watch the fireworks?" Washu asked, pressing the trigger in.  
All eyes from all ships viewed the mother ship blow into a million pieces, flying about the skies. Sasami jumped into the air, shrieking a little, while Takeshi managed to raise a fist before covering his mouth again. Musashi and Kojiro hugged as best as they could, thankful to see their enemy killed. Ryoko grabbed Tenchi, giving a "victory" sign, while Aeka clasped her hands together, thanking the heavens; Mihoshi and Kiyone gave the other a high-five; Nobuyuki and Katsuhito cheered, and Washu threw the detonator in the air, shouting in triumph as she did. If sound could be heard in space, the noise would have been deafening.  
"Earth's going to have quite a meteor shower," Katsuhito noticed. "We shall need to hurry home if we want to see it."  
"Home," Tenchi repeated. "I don't think I've ever been this happy to hear that."

**To Be Continued...**

Musashi: We've had such a great time on Earth... I can't believe it's really over. Try not to forget about us, okay?  
Ryoko: Forget about you?  
Aeka: I don't see how I can EVER do that!  
Sasami: That's right! You're part of the family now, no matter how far across the universe you live!  
Takeshi: But... Mihoshi... It can't finish like this! I won't let it!  
Tenchi: The next and final episode of the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for an Ending!  
Washu: It's unquestionably... over! 

  
[Episode Seven: No Need for An Ending][7]

[PokéMuyo!  
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	7. Episode Seven: No Need for an Ending

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Episode Seven

Episode Seven:   
  
No Need for an Ending

"Takeshi, come here, quick!" Sasami called from across the house.   
"What's up?" Takeshi asked.  
Sasami blushed, holding out a book. "I... wanted you to have this."  
Takeshi took it, reading the cover. "It's a Jurai and Japan Recipe Book."  
She nodded. "It took me almost a week to convert the Juraiian into Japanese, but... I wanted you to have something to remember me by."  
"Thanks, Sasami-chan. But I don't know how I could forget any of this."  
"Do you have to go?" Sasami asked.  
"Yeah," he told her. "I like it here, but my family and friends are back on Nomékop. You can come visit, though. Nomékop's only one-hundred light years away. That's like, a month in space time, isn't it?"   
"I guess you're right. Maybe, one day, I can come and see what Nomékop looks like. That'd be nice. It sounds so pretty, and all the amazing animals. Maybe by then you'll be a famous breeder, and I'll be a respectable Princess."  
"I don't think it'll be that far into the future," Takeshi laughed.  
Sasami hugged him fiercely. "I'm gonna miss you. It's been so nice, having someone to talk to in the kitchen. It was... sort of like having an older brother." She sniffled a little. "I thought this would go on always, but I guess it's not like it was with Tenchi and us."  
"Hey, don't cry, okay?" Takeshi said, smiling. "I'm gonna be getting enough of that from Mihoshi as it is."

"Ah, my own room all to myself again!" Ryoko sighed, stretching out. "Finally some privacy in both rooms, in case Tenchi wants a different atmosphere!" She winked at the Rocket. "And you and Kojiro will have some privacy, too."  
"Like Nyasu would let that happen," Musashi muttered. She looked around the room, her things packed in a bag Ryoko had given her. "I don't want to leave. I wish I didn't have to. But Kojiro wants to give Nomékop another try, so I guess I'll go along with him for once."  
"When someone like you goes with another person's view, you know it's love," Ryoko chuckled. Needless to say Musashi had told Ryoko the entire story about her and Kojiro's moment in the Mosquito.  
"You really aren't going to miss me?" Musashi asked.  
"Of course I am!" Ryoko stood up. "But I hate teary good-byes with people hugging and weeping. I think Mihoshi will take care of that part." She hit her friend on the shoulder, using a bit too much strength and knocking her off balance. "It ain't good-bye, you know. Tenchi and I are gonna take that around the universe trip, and I plan on making the first stop Nomékop! So see, we'll stay there a few months, go to parties, and get drunk on your type of alcohol."  
Musashi laughed. "Can't wait."  
"Musashi!" Kojiro called from outside the door. "Ready to go?"  
She picked up her bags. "Yeah." She turned to Ryoko. "Coming to see me off?"  
"Wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't. Let's hurry. I wanna see how much of a scene Mihoshi makes."

"No Takeshi! I don't want you to leave! You can't because I love you!" Mihoshi wailed.  
The rest of the group, aside Takeshi, plugged their ears and impatiently waited for her to finish.  
"We were gonna go on dates and throw parties and have fun! You can't leave! We're boyfriend and girlfriend Takeshiiiiiiiii!"  
He patted her back awkwardly, trying to breathe through her crushing hold. "It's not the end, Mihoshi. I know it isn't. Maybe you can come to Nomékop in a few months, and we can do all that stuff. Maybe, if things go right, we could, you know... tie the knot..."  
She tightened her hold, screeching to the skies. "No Takeshi no! Just stay here with me and Kiyone and Tenchi and Ryoko and everyone! If you go home you'll find someone you like better and I don't wanna get my heart broken like Aeka did and become an old hag like Aeka will!" The Princess flushed, but stayed quiet. "Please, Takeshi! I don't want you to leeeeeave!"  
"That's enough, Mihoshi," Kiyone came up behind her and pulled her away. "You're suffocating him."  
"But Kiyone..."  
The Police officer sighed. "Look, we'll take a trip out there, sometime soon, all right? And, if you want to stay for a few months then I guess I could arrange a vacation with headquarters."  
"Kiyone, can we go now, please!?" Mihoshi grabbed on to her friend's shirt. "Then we'd get there in about a month and Takeshi won't have time to fall in love again!"  
"What a minute! You can't just abandon you're duties as a Galaxy Police officer!" Kiyone reminded her irritably.  
Mihoshi sniffled. "But Kiyone..."  
"I'm not going to fall in love with anyone else," Takeshi assured her. "Especially if I'll see you again."  
"Well, no one will fall in love with HIM," Kojiro whispered to Musashi. She snickered.   
"I heard that, Sugarplum fairy!" Takeshi snapped.   
Mihoshi looked from Takeshi, to Kiyone. "Well, I guess that'll work... but I'm gonna miss you so much!"  
Kiyone, sick of hearing it, clapped a hand over her partner's mouth. "Anyone else wanna get in a good-bye?"  
Tenchi faced the D-Space Travellers, bowing traditionally. "Thanks, to all of you. Even dragged here against your will, you helped us a lot. In the war-"  
"And in another things," Ryoko giggled, poking Tenchi's cheek playfully.  
He blushed. "So, anyway, we'll try to visit when we can! And don't you forget us."  
"Only if you return the favor," Musashi told him.  
Aeka waved a hand, sighing. "Forget you three? Oh, I shall try, I suppose, but the likelihood of that is as close to me becoming friends with Miss Ryoko." She smiled a little. "But, I suppose you did help to save Earth, and perhaps ultimately Jurai. I thank you for that, and I wish you the best of luck in the future."  
"Same goes to you," Kojiro replied. He looked at Washu. "We ready to go?"  
"I'm ready when you are," Washu explained.  
"Wait! Takeshi, Musashi, Kojiro, wait!"  
All eyes turned to see Sasami running their way, Nobuyuki and Katsuhito close behind. Sasami had a packet clutched in her hand.   
"Sasami, what's that?" Tenchi asked.  
The younger girl skidded to a halt, taking a moment to catch her breath. "I almost forgot... about the pictures we took... well, Nobuyuki and I took them... of your stay here... they just got developed... here." She shoved ten pictures at each of them. "Ten... for all of you... to remember your trip... and so your friends... will believe you..."  
Musashi thanked her, flipping through the pictures.   
"I divided them... by interest," the Princess went on. "Like... Takeshi got all... the ones with him... and Mihoshi... oh, and each of you got... a group shot."  
"I remember when we took that. We took an hour just to get set up," Katsuhito commented, chuckling.  
"And..." Sasami held up a shot. "We get a copy too, to remember you. This way no one forgets that you're part of the Masaki family."  
"The family?" Kojiro queried.  
"Yeah. Just like me, Aeka, Ryoko, Mihoshi, Kiyone and Washu are. You came here like we did- sort of- and that makes you family!" Sasami explained.  
"Family," Musashi mused. "I like the thought."  
"I like this one better than my real one," Kojiro laughed.  
"This is all very touching," Washu broke in. "But if I keep this machine running much longer I'll sap the electricity in the house." She grinned. "Now, you three have fun back home, okay, and don't forget to send us a postcard!"  
Takeshi nodded. "Right. How do we do this?"  
"Just walk up there," Washu said, pointing to a platform. "It'll feel pretty weird, like it did when you first came here, but hopefully this time you won't fall out of the sky ten feet above the ground. I set it for the same evening you disappeared, so your friends won't have too much time to worry about you."  
The trio stepped up to the platform. Washu typed in a few buttons, and they immediately started to vanish again.  
"_Ja ne!_" the Masaki family called.  
"Till we meet again!" Takeshi, Musashi and Kojiro waved. The ground opened up below them, and they disappeared into D-Space.

"Takeshi!? That you?" Satoshi asked from across the field. He and Kasumi had set up camp a little ways from where Takeshi had gone under, not sure if he would be back or not.  
"It's me, all right," Takeshi told him. "You didn't really think I was dead, did you?"  
Once he reached them, Kasumi unleashed her wrath. "Exactly what kind of cheap trick was that, huh?! Were you trying to scare us, because it worked! We were worried sick about you, you big idiot! Where were you, anyway?!"   
"Would you believe me if I said I got blasted to another planet one hundred light years away, stayed there for two months, fell in love with a Galaxy Police officer and helped save the place called Earth?"  
"Of course not! What a stupid made-up-" she stopped suddenly. "Um, Takeshi, what's with the wrist splint?"  
He laughed. "I'll explain the whole thing, if you'll stop yelling at me for a minute..."

"Musashi? Kojiro? No way! You guys fell into that hole... didn't you?" Nyasu questioned, blinking several times to see if he was imagining it.  
"Yeah. You want us to explain it to you?" Kojiro asked.  
"I better. You'll probably get something screwed up," Musashi told him, not as a snappish remark but more as a joke.  
"Probably," Kojiro agreed.  
Nyasu cocked his head. "Uh... you guys feeling okay? Shouldn't Musashi be smacking Kojiro over the head right about now, and shouldn't Kojiro be whining or something?"  
"Well... do you want the whole version or the short one?" Musashi wondered.  
"Long. This, I gotta hear."

Kasumi giggled. "Takeshi-chan, you don't really expect us to believe that."  
"Yeah. We're not stupid, you know," Satoshi put in, oblivious to the other two sweat-dropping. "Did Rocket Dan build another screwy hole that messed up, and you broke your wrist when you fell, or what?"   
"It is the truth!" Takeshi insisted.  
"Okay. I might be able to believe the D-Space travel. I might be able to believe a family of aliens took you in for two months. I might even be able to believe that you saved this planet called Earth. But getting a girl?" Kasumi hastily added. "No offense, or anything."  
Takeshi whipped out a picture. "Then HOW do you explain THIS??"  
Kasumi looked at it. It was a shot of a blonde girl sitting on Takeshi's lap, giggling and shoving a rice ball into her mouth. "Um..."  
"Believe me now?"  
"I guess I have to believe evidence. But it doesn't really matter, since you'll never see her again." Satoshi looked at him funny. "Why'd you leave a cute girl like her, anyway?"  
Takeshi stared ahead blankly. "I... I don't know. I guess 'cause I wanted to come home."  
"Home? You mean you'd give up _suki_ for Nomékop?" Kasumi burst out laughing. "You must be dumber than Satoshi!"  
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Satoshi shot back. "I'm smart, I just don't show it a lot!"  
"Since when?"  
"Since always, so there!"  
"Please! You're a stumbling idiot who'da been dead long ago if it wasn't for me and Takeshi and Kenjii!"  
"Maybe I got some help, but none of it was from you, that's for sure!"  
The duo stopped suddenly. Usually this was where Takeshi would stop them from killing each other and offer to make some food. They turned to see what the hold up was. Takeshi had his head in his hands, a funny noise coming out of his throat.  
"Uh, Takeshi-chan?"  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE I LEFT MIHOSHI AND EARTH FOR YOU TWO!"

Nyasu flipped through the photos. "Hm... well, they look real, anyway. So does that mean you two are gonna be a couple or something?" A half-nod. "_Baka._ Now I gotta play chaperone! Just what this cat needs..." He looked up, remembering something. "Oh! While you were on your little joy-ride through space, we got a call from Boss Rocket. What do you think it is this time, a mental beating or a salary cut? My guess is both."  
Musashi and Kojiro glanced at each other.  
"Kojiro?" Musashi said.  
He nodded. "Right. I'll start writing out our resignations." He walked over to the sleeping bag, Musashi close behind.  
Nyasu face-vaulted. "_Nya!?_" 

***

**TWO MONTHS LATER...**

Musashi ran a brush through her hair, looking out the window of she, Kojiro, and Nyasu's ramshackle apartment. "You know," she commented to Kojiro, "this may be a lot better than Rocket Dan, but it sucks that the only job we could get was at some nowhere restaurant."  
"With our record we're lucky we got hired," Kojiro replied, tying his hair back in the style he'd adapted from Tenchi. "At least we've got food and money and beds. I don't remember having ANY of that in Rocket Dan."  
Musashi sighed. "Guess you're right. But you'd think that a group as cute as us would be able to do something a little more... rewarding."  
"Oh, yeah, we're a trio of heart-throbs," Nyasu said sarcastically. He spotted something out of the corner of his eye. The cat whirled to the window, curious to see what it was. "_Nya?_"  
Musashi and Kojiro followed his gaze. A large, red spaceship was sailing down from the atmosphere, getting bigger by the instant, until it landed in a clump of trees not quite a mile away.  
"What th' _da_ is that?!" Nyasu questioned, jumping on the sill and trying to get a good look at it.   
Musashi sucked in air. "Oh my God. It's Yugami!"  
The duo took off, leaving Nyasu mystified. "_Nya?_" he asked again, trying to keep up with them. "Someone better tell Nyasu what's going on!"

Takeshi, from his campsite, just outside of Mahogany Town, where Musashi and Kojiro were living, spotted the ship too.  
"Takeshi, do you know what that is?" Satoshi asked, peering into the sky.  
It only took the young breeder a moment to recognize it. "I sure do! Mihoshi's here! _Ai dake_, here I come!"  
He dashed off, much as the ex-Rockets had done.  
Kasumi grabbed her hair. "TAKESHI!? DON'T JUST LEAVE US IN THE DARK LIKE THIS!"  
Satoshi snatched Kasumi's hand, taking off after his friend. "Yeah. I hate being confused!"  
"Like that's a new feeling," Kasumi said dryly, keeping up easily with Satoshi. "And would you let go of me?! People are going to think there's something going on between us."  
"Kasumi-chan, you mean last night meant nothing?" Satoshi snickered, letting go and taking off.  
"SATOSHI! TAKESHI! YOU'RE BOTH GONNA BE IN A WORLD OF PAIN WHEN I CATCH UP!"

Musashi and Kojiro arrived at the ship, panting and gasping for breath. Nyasu, loping along at an easy pace, came up behind. The ship stood before them, and two familiar figures were standing on the ground arguing.  
"Mihoshi, I thought I told you to watch the landing!" Kiyone snapped.  
"I'm sorry, but I was so excited about seeing Takeshi that I couldn't concentrate," Mihoshi told her.  
"Can't you do two things at once!?"  
"Please don't me mad at me, I'm too happy to get sad, Kiyone!" Mihoshi whimpered.  
Kiyone happened to turn at just the right angle to see the trio through the trees. "Hey! Isn't that-"  
"It is!" Musashi cut her off, trotting to the clearing. "You two don't seem to have changed much."  
"I'll take that as a compliment," Kiyone half-groaned. She noticed Nyasu. "This is your other friend, Nyasu, right?"  
"In the fur!" he agreed, bowing lightly.  
Mihoshi giggled. "Wow! And I thought Ryo-Ohki was smart!"  
"Ryo-Ohki?" Nyasu asked. "You mean that little cabbit thing Musashi and Kojiro told me about?"  
Mihoshi nodded. "Yeah, and she's a cutie like you! I bet you'd get along real well if you ever met her." She paused. "Ya know, it's too bad none of the others could come. I bet Nyasu and Takeshi's friends would've liked to meet some people from another planet."  
"And I wouldn't mind meeting this little Ryo-Ohki," Nyasu purred.  
"You wanna come back to our apartment?" Kojiro invited. "It's a little run-down, but there's food and the stove works. Though, you might not dare try some of the slush we throw together."  
Kiyone laughed. "Sounds fun. We'll do that. But, first, to shut Mihoshi up, we oughta find-"  
A sound of someone crashing through the bushes stopped Kiyone mid-speech. In a moment a familiar spiky-haired teen ran out of the bushes, coming to a dead halt. "Mihoshi?"  
Her eyes went googly. "Takeshi!" She virtually flew to him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him, similar to how she had done when he'd saved her life on Earth. "Takeshi Takeshi Takeshi! I missed you so much I thought I'd never see you again and even if I did you'd forget about me and find someone else and I love you so much!"   
Takeshi hugged her tightly, not daring to let her go in fear it was a dream. "I missed you too, Mihoshi. I can't believe you actually come all the way to Nomékop just to see me."  
"Well of course I did," she said. "As soon as you left I realized how much I missed you, and I thought like Ryoko, I thought, 'I'm not letting him get away from me.' So Kiyone flew me here and I'm not leaving you no matter what!"  
"You're staying here?" Takeshi asked.  
Before she could answer Satoshi burst from the bushes, Kasumi hot on his tail.   
"Aha! I finally caught you! Now, Satoshi Tajiri, you're going to learn why kids at my school used to call me Wildfire Kasumi..." she stopped short, glancing first at the Rockets, then Kiyone, then Takeshi with a girl draped over him. "Eh... maybe I'll show you later."  
Satoshi wiped sweat off his brow, pretending to be relieved. He then faced the guests. "_Konichiwa. _Who're you?"  
"I'm Kiyone," the girl standing by the ship said. "And that" she sweat-dropped, pointing to the girl hanging on Takeshi "is Mihoshi."  
Mihoshi poked her head over Takeshi's shoulder. "Hiya! I guess you're Takeshi-chan's friends, huh? Good to meet you!"  
Kasumi couldn't seem to get over the fact that a girl had been planting kisses on Takeshi's cheek. "This is his girlfriend, then?"  
"Yeah, guess so!" Takeshi answered, turning around but not letting go of Mihoshi.   
Satoshi finally saw Musashi, Kojiro, and Nyasu. "Ah! Rocket Dan! I thought you'd given up on Pikachu!"  
"We did, moron," Musashi rolled her eyes. "You think Takeshi was the only one who made friends on Earth?"   
"They just invited us to have dinner at their place," Mihoshi explained, "wanna come?"  
Satoshi and Kasumi looked uneasily at the ex-Rocket trio. "Um..."  
"We don't bite, kid!" Kojiro taunted. "At least... not hard." He and Musashi snickered evilly.  
"Quit fooling around!" Kiyone reprimanded. She turned to Takeshi's friends. "I'm a First-Class Galaxy Police Officer. Nothing will happen to you while I'm here."  
"C'mon, I'm really hungry!" Mihoshi insisted. She smiled at Takeshi. "Do you think you could make some of that soup you and Sasami made on your first day on Earth? You make it really well!"  
"Sure," Takeshi agreed. He, Mihoshi, and Kiyone began walking towards Musashi, Kojiro and Nyasu. Takeshi gave his friends a look back. "You don't have to come if you don't want to, but good luck cooking without me."  
Reluctantly, Satoshi and Kasumi followed, lagging behind and unsure why they were going right into their enemy's clutches.

Neither of the two trainers had to worry about a thing- Musashi and Kojiro kept to their word. After all, they didn't have any reason to steal a Pokémon if it wouldn't get them paid!  
"So how's everyone on Earth doing?" Musashi asked, after Takeshi had prepared another first-class meal.  
"Well," Mihoshi began, shoving food into her mouth as she did, "Aeka went back to Jurai like she said she would, but Washu got a transmission right before we left that she's coming back to Earth. Sasami stayed back, and she's trying out all those really great recipes you gave her, Takeshi. Nomékop's got a nice selection! Um," she slurped her soup, "Tenchi got a letter accepting him into a college in Okiyama, and get this: Ryoko's going with him! Tenchi's gonna help her out of course, since she doesn't know much about Earth history, but I think it's a really good thing, don't you?" She paused to finish off her tea. "Mm, that was great! I'm all stuffed!"  
"What about you two?" Takeshi asked. "What are your plans for the future?"  
Mihoshi bounced around slightly, looking to Kiyone. "You tell! I can't get it out!"  
"Mihoshi's quit the Galaxy Police force," Kiyone said, sounding oddly relieved and happy. "She wants to stay here on Nomékop with you."  
Takeshi blinked. "You'd do that for me, Mihoshi-chan?"  
"Yeah, sure! And, to be honest, I never was very good at all that police stuff. I think a peaceful life on a little planet like this would fit me lots better!"  
Kiyone smiled. "I couldn't agree more."  
"Looks like we've got a new member to our group," Kasumi commented. "Unless... Takeshi, are you going to settle down somewhere?"  
"I think I'll stay with you two for a while," Takeshi explained. "It's not like I'm married. And besides- someone's gotta keep you from killing each other, right?"  
The duo glanced at one another and laughed.  
"This is really great! I already have two friends and a boyfriend and it's only my first day!" Mihoshi giggled. She dropped her tea cup (luckily it was empty). "Oh! But Kiyone... you're going back into space, aren't you?"  
She nodded. "In fact, I need to leave tonight. I'm only supposed to take a two-month vacation, and if I don't hurry I won't get back to Earth in time."  
Mihoshi sniffled. "I'm gonna miss you, Kiyone! We've been the best of friends for such a long time, I thought we'd be partners forever!"  
"So did I," Kiyone muttered. She grinned. "But, we won't be! Now, don't you worry, I'll call you on Washu's Transmitter. Remember?" She pulled a small machine out of her pocket. "This is for you to contact us whenever you want!"  
"And... you'll visit, right?"  
Kiyone flung a hand up. "I guess I could take out some vacation time-"  
Mihoshi hugged her partner so hard Kiyone's back popped. "Then that's just perfect! I'll see you every year or so and we'll call each other and stay friends until we're both old and have a million kids and grandkids!"  
"And we'll be far away from the other," Kiyone mused, a dreamy smile on her face. Mihoshi let loose her hold, and Kiyone stood up. "I'm sorry I have to go so quickly, but you understand how it is."  
"Not really, but it's all right," Satoshi told her. Facing his travelling buddies, he said, "We oughta go too. I've gotta get up to the Indigo Plateau in a few weeks. We gotta dash there!"  
Satoshi and Company shook hands with Kiyone.  
"Thanks for the hospitality," Kiyone told Musashi and Kojiro. "Feel free to call us with Mihoshi's transmitter anytime you want."  
The two nodded, clearing away some dishes.   
"Tell Tenchi and Ryoko not to get too wild at college!" Musashi laughed.  
"And good luck to you and the others!" Kojiro added. Nyasu put in his own, "_Nya, nyaante na_", and the trio waved good-bye to their friends and old enemies. The door closed, leaving the former Rockets alone.  
Musashi stared wistfully at the door. "I miss Earth."  
"I miss our friends... even Aeka," Kojiro voiced.  
"Kojiro-chan, we gave Nomékop a chance-"  
"It's not our fault Nomékop didn't do the same to us."  
"Then you-?"  
"Exactly."  
Nyasu cocked his head. "I hate it when you do that ESP stuff! Someone gonna fill me in?"  
"Nyasu, how would you like to meet Ryo-Ohki and all the others from Earth?" Musashi asked eagerly.  
"Sounds fun, I guess..."  
She and Kojiro dashed into their rooms and came out with packed bags in seconds. They grabbed one of Nyasu's paws each bursting through the door and running at top speed to Yugami.  
"Kiyone! Kiyone, wait! We're coming too!"

***

Japan had entered it's most beautiful season again. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, littering paths with the petals that had blown off the trees. It was Spring Break- a time for everyone to sit out and enjoy the beautiful weather. Well, almost everyone...  
"Aha! Finally finished!" Washu cackled, looking with pleasure upon her latest creation. "Another masterpiece!" She ran upstairs, shouting loudly. "Sasami, get everyone together, pronto! I, Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the UNIVERSE, has done it again!"

Kiyone, Musashi, Kojiro, Nyasu, Ryo-Ohki, Aeka and Sasami stood around Washu's new creation, eyeing it skeptically.  
"Should we run away screaming, or duck and cover?" Kojiro asked dryly.  
"Neither!" Washu exclaimed. "Where are Ryoko and Tenchi?"  
"I couldn't find them," Sasami told her. "I would assume they're out by the lake up in the mountains, doing..." she giggled, "something couples do."  
"Their loss!" Washu laughed. The scientist was on an adrenaline high, and nothing could bring her down. "Wanna know what it is? Of course you do, so I'll tell ya! This is my New and Improved D-Space Transporter! It's bigger, better, faster-"  
"Does it have a back portal?" Kiyone broke in.  
Washu came to a halt. "Well, no..." she whirled, smiling again. "But who cares? I can bring forward as many people as I want now, from WHATEVER TIME PERIOD I WANT! Any at all! This is great! I'm amazing!" She laughed insanely.  
"I'm going with duck and cover," Musashi said decisively.  
Washu started typing in coordinates like mad. "Lookie here! A million years into the future, and a thousand light years away! I'm bringing them right here to us!"  
"She's gonna blow us all up," Nyasu groaned.  
"Nonsense!" Washu continued typing. "I'm going to prove how amazing I really am!"

In the exact time period Washu mentioned, a certain spaceship was zipping through the Hayfong system, loaded down with a crew and a passenger.  
"Look, Fred, I already told you to sit down and be quiet," the captain of the ship explained to his passenger.   
"I can't help it, Gene, this is such an amazing ship!"  
Gene's friend, Jim Hawking, sighed. "Why did we agree to give him a ride to Sentinel?"  
"Because he's paying us a whole crapload of cash," Aisha ClanClan reminded him.   
"Plus, we're heading that way as it is," Suzuka added.  
Jim put his head in his hands. "I say next time we strap him to the outside of the ship."  
"Oh James, you're so funny! I like a guy with a sense of humor," Fred told him. He sidled up next to Gene. "I also like a guy with a big spaceship..."

"Harry! Yo, Harry! Look up there!"  
Harry McDougal glanced up from a copy of _Anger and You: Take Control_. "What's up, bro?"  
"It's the Outlaw Star! Now's our chance to get our revenge!" Ron chuckled darkly.  
Harry's eyes lit up. Melfina! "I'll fly us in, and see if Starwind feels like a little fight."  
"Sounds great to me, Har'."

"Ha!" Washu's finger pointed to two bright dots on her screen. "Two spaceships within close range, just what I need!" More typing. "There we go!" She paused thoughtfully. "Wonder where these two'll come out?"  
The group face-vaulted. "Can't you ever make a foolproof machine?!"

"Gene! There's some sort of blue field surrounding us!" Jim exclaimed.  
"A what? Can we get out of it?"  
"I can't avoid it," Melfina reported. "It's already pulled us in."  
Fred shrieked a little. "Oh, no! What is it, Gene? What are we going to do?"  
"Calm down Fred!" Gene snapped. He grinned. "We'll just have to go along for the ride, and see where we wind up!"

"Harry... something wrong?"  
"We're getting pulled into something," Harry explained nervously. "I can't get out. It's powerful, but there's no reading on it... the XGP's going in too!"  
"Great!" Ron grinned much like Gene had. "Then wherever we go, we're bound to meet up with Starwind head-on!"

Ryoko planted a kiss on Tenchi's cheek. "I love this. Just you, and me, out by the lake sharing some Sake. It's magical."  
Tenchi smiled and nodded. "Nice to get a break from school. How do you think you did on the history test?"  
"Aced it. You?"  
"Bombed."  
Ryoko smiled. "I know what'll cheer you up..." she leaned in close, preparing for another kiss...  
KER-SPLASH! The lovesick couple was doused thoroughly in a wave of water, barely maintaining their balance in the tree.  
"What the-"  
KER-SPLASH! They were blinded again by another tsunami. Once able to see again, Tenchi and Ryoko spotted two fighter ships, bobbing on the water's surface. Crew members of each were popping up near the machines. A red-headed man swore violently in English.  
"Gene, if you're going to cuss then at least do it so Suzu and I can understand!" a cattish girl reprimanded in Japanese.  
"For the last time, do not call me that, Aisha!" a woman in traditional Japanese clothes told the catwoman.  
"What happened?" a boy with blonde hair questioned. He spotted the yellow ship next to the red one. "Ah! It's the Shangri-La!"  
"Harry!?" a black-haired girl gasped, noticing a purple-eyed boy that appeared to be her age.   
"Melfina!"  
The one called Gene looked in all directions. "What the hell is this?"  
A black-haired male waved, saying in a feminine voice: "Gene! I'm okay, Gene! Don't worry about me!"  
Tenchi glanced at Ryoko. "Washu's work?"  
"Probably."  
"Think we should help them out?"  
"I say we let Washu handle it."  
The cat-girl named Aisha was the first to notice the couple in the tree. "_Nya?_ Who're you?"  
Ryoko waved. "Don't worry about a thing. You stay here, and we'll bring someone who can answer your questions." She grabbed Tenchi's hand. "C'mon, Tenchi."  
"_Nya?_" Aisha asked again. "Wait! Don't leave!"  
"Bye now!" Ryoko blew a kiss to the crowd, teleporting away.  
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Aisha screamed, shaking both fists angrily. "IN THE NAME OF THE CTARL-CTARL EMPIRE, HAAAALT!!!"

  
[PokéMuyo!][7]

[Back to the Rocket Corner!][8]

Questions, comments? Maybe you want a sequel? If so, or if you just feel like cussing me out because you don't like Ryoko-Tenchi stories or Musashi-Kojiro stories, or maybe you don't want Takeshi with Mihoshi... at any rate, gimme a buzz!  


[][9]

   [1]: http://linktracker.angelfire.com/bin/linktracker?link=af/adskins/link08
   [2]: http://linktracker.angelfire.com/bin/linktracker?link=af/adskins/link16
   [3]: http://linktracker.angelfire.com/bin/linktracker?link=af/adskins/link14
   [4]: http://linktracker.angelfire.com/bin/linktracker?link=angelfire/inlinead/aflogo
   [5]: /cgi-bin/email_this_page/display_form
   [6]: /cgi-bin/email_when_updated/display_form
   [7]: http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/rocketcorner/pokemuyo/intro.html
   [8]: http://www.angelfire.com/anime2/rocketcorner/index.html
   [9]: mailto:Jayhawkfan35@yahoo.com



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